


Unconditional Love [access granted]

by AiVici



Category: Yuri!!! on Ice (Anime)
Genre: Action & Romance, Alternate Universe - Post-Apocalypse, Alternate Universe - Science Fiction, Happy Ending, Just a little angst, M/M, Machina Yuuri, OP Katsuki Yuuri, Scientist Viktor, True Love, Ultimate Sacrifice, learn to love, machina system log & intercommunication, sort of intergalactic war
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-07
Updated: 2018-02-08
Packaged: 2018-11-10 14:25:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 28,882
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11128695
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AiVici/pseuds/AiVici
Summary: {Error} discovery incomprehensible.{reanalyze} target: identified [human] Status: alive [multiple damage detected] Survival rate: 0%{error} irregular [require further analysis]'In which a machine decided to understand human'-Viktor, what is 'unconditional love'..?-





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> hi! here are how to understand the system log/intercomm:
> 
> {command in operating system} system finding [explanation]  
> "Normal speaking" "...'command'..."  
> [Explanation/program/personal code number]  
> -machina mode of speaking-  
> -machina inner thought- (italic)  
> {command in operating system} system finding [explanation] (italic are all in inner thought)

{system reboot} updating data...

[Kernel repaired] synchronizing...

Synchronization completed!

 

"Status." The bespectacled silver haired man in white lab coat asked.

-unchanged: system works perfectly. Aus-

"Oh, wait- 'mode switched: Yuri', 'overwrite authority: code [2512] Viktor'..."

-request accepted, switch mode to Yuri. Aus-

"Um... Viktor?" The complex machine asked timidly. A Battle Machina to be exact.

"Yuri!" Viktor blue eyes lit in happiness at the familiar machina mode. "Are you working fine right now?"

"...Yes, I am." The machina, Yuri nodded. His brown light impulse that appeared as human irises softened at the sight of his 'private doctor' or a specialized scientist that was assigned to him by the higher ups.

"Good," Viktor smiled and then looked at the report on his computer. "Although quite a number of fused broke and 1.5 giga nano chips destroyed, it seems that [HEART] less affected the system this time."

That was still an achievement, Viktor thought.

"Viktor, the program sent multiple errors and set my system haywire. It is still not compatible." Yuri complained, his facial replicated worry clearly.

"Yes but I still want to make it happen." Viktor said optimistically while crossing his arms and leaning on the table, facing Yuri who was lying in the rehabilitation pod. "Didn't you want to complete the analysis, Yuri? That's why I came up with [HEART], brilliant isn't it?" Viktor cheerfully hogging to Yuri.

[HEART] or Human Emotion Analyze and Replication Tensor, a program that young scientist Viktor Nikiforov created for Machina to understand human emotionally. However, only machina number Tc2191d23k1 or Yuri assigned as a test subject based on Lumen Arc [AI-HPC] calculated algorithm or basically the 'mother's direct command'. Well, it matched with the Delta [analysis unit] nature of obligation though but Yuri seemed too eager to learn it. Could it be a machina actually volunteer? Out of free will? Does it exist within machine? That is still unknown to Viktor. That is why he wanted to complete the program and run it without failure as soon as possible.

Plus another fact that Yuri could be replaced or destroyed in a war at any moment. That would mess up everything he worked for so long.

"Yeah, of course." Yuri muttered while still processing other available response. Damn it, the 'heart' made it's own reflex coming with various errors again. What is this? Persistence, annoyance, irked...

Meanwhile, the specialist area which was actually Viktor's personal lab that occupied with organized machines, equipment and other electronic stuff seemed quiet after that, except for the sound of swinging pendulum breaking the silence. Even amidst war zone, the military base surprisingly calm enough to allow everyone and all unit to stay focus. Thanks to the multi layers of plasma shield that also act as soundproof, they are all safe and sound inside.

Now that there are no longer earth that was destroyed beyond recovery, humans must fight for their new home on this new planet with whatever beings that against us. It was their fault for our innocent blue planet was collided with its own moon and Armageddon happened. Now it's time for vengeance.

As if the prayer was answered, Machinas appear to be on their side, fighting alongside humans for the injustice that happened.

Because Machina only do what is right. A being based on pure rationality.

"Yuri... what's wrong?" Viktor gently pulled him out of the pod and seated him on the chair opposite Viktor's. "What is it that you are worried again?" Viktor put down his glasses and ran his fingers through his silver hair.

Both of them knew it very well as it was flashing on the computer and Yuri's kernel.

_{synchronized data result} state return to standardized Delta {update: error} could not run HEART successfully._

_{error} mastering HEART [doubted]_

_{error: analysis result} not enough memory for computing. [system fail to provide]_

_{available solution} additional space {update} space is limited. Nonvolatile memory is preserved for tactical analytical data. Overwrite authority on this section is revoked._

_{alert!} HEART run without full programming. Various computing could not achieved. Poor result._

_[request for full capacity nonvolatile memory]_

_[request for full capacity nonvolatile memory]_

_[request for full capacity nonvolatile memory]_

_{alert!} operating system: request denied._

_{alert!} operating system: request denied._

_{alert!} operating system: request denied._

What the heck? Even the system was fighting against the program. Is this what the human figurative saying 'the brain want to punch the stomach'?

"It's never ending errors and solutions. And worst, it previously affected battle situation analyze and tactical calculating, in which the outcome of the next move appears as doubt. Plus, it didn't even stopped at that! It continues to perform non-required analysis until overdrive!" Yuri rambling in one human breath. "Biggest failure ever: cluster damage increase from 2% to 9%." He ended dejectedly.

Queue for a few moments of silence, Viktor was actually listening to all of it, surprising himself and also of Yuri replication behavior. Double _wow!_

As much as Viktor wanted to smile broadly at the sudden improvisation on accuracy of Yuri's replication behavior, he decided not to as Yuri may analyze it wrongly. "You are experiencing anxiety and panic attack." He concluded without showing so much of a worry. Hopefully this is enough and Yuri got it correctly as this is not really a deadly matter, not to machina anyway.

But worsen if left untreated.

"Ridiculous." Yuri deadpanned. His input of that matter did not co-relate to his being. "Machina do not experience disorder. Conclusion rejected."

"But humans do, Yuri. It often results to make mistakes and there are also other various factors." Viktor replied calmly.

"...do you?" Yuri was curious for his confirmation.

"...yes, at certain time." Viktor answered, azure eyes softened as it settled on cute oblivious raven haired machina in front of him. "That's how we learn, through our mistakes and others', try and error."

"Humans... have errors..." Yuri mumble quietly. That just sounded like him in his current state.

"And we tend to forget too," Viktor said unwaveringly as he held the hand of the machina bringing it close to his lips, "but that's what makes room for the new things." His eyes zeroed on the machina's pair of brown pulsating lights.

_-this is...-_

_{analysing situation} {reading target's state} various results detected_

_{result} [concern: affirmative] [understanding: affirmative] [worry: possible but not match with facial recognition-reanalyze-] [sincerity: new finding. Not much data recorded]..._

_-too much result, human can produce these much at the same time..-_

_-what is this...-_

_-...feelings?-_

"Strange... Machina is a being capable to calculate and decipher any capacity, yet could not understand 'heart'..." Yuri voiced his sense of alienation. His human-like eyes lowered to his hand that being held firmly.

"Not yet, Yuri. But I believe in you..." Viktor smiled. Each and every gesture sent Yuri overdrive with results and errors.

_{new command!} Tc2191d23k1 report to AC115 [Control Room] immediately. Aus_

"I'm being called." Yuri said as he stood up breaking off their little contact. Then walked to the automatic door.

Before Yuri could actually left, his hand was snatched from behind making him to turn around face to face with handsomely human figure.

"Yuratchka..." Viktor said affectionately, hand in hand, he brought it on top of his chest to let the other feeling his heartbeat. He was closing in the distance until their foreheads were touched, pure azure eyes bored into brown irises of light pulse blindingly. He inhaled deep as he closed his eyes for a hitch savoring the moment before warmly saying, "...be safe, okay."

Without even replicated the human action of blinking, Yuri acknowledged this _mode_ of Viktor and responded accordingly as the 'heart' stipulated, "okay I will, Vitya..." The uttered name gave a wave of errors to the kernel despite how accurate the 'heart' response.

* * *

Rather than waiting in his lab, Viktor decided to walk around in the base and find anything he could help. Even if his main duty is scientist programmer at the rehabilitation unit, ones have to be flexible during this intergalactic war which also took place on the planet you want to live. Why on the planet but not in the space? Easy, that being or 'unknown' resides here and did not come out no matter how much they had provoked. But it dared to send numerous type of beings -as it was like a 'collector'- to wage war on his behalf, even as far as destroying earth. Fucking vicious nemesis.

Thus, Viktor reached out for his blue glasses and ID tag, smoothing his dark blue shirt and white long lab coat and walked out of the room. The door slid automatically behind him. Fixing his glasses, he noticed people and machina were busy moving around in the hallway. Alert and announcement sounded every passing moment naturally to inform what was happening. Since his work of diagnosing any battle machina was basically done with Yuri being the last patient, he thought it was good to catch up with another Delta who was sent to replace Yuri temporarily in the battle. If Yuri had to report back to duty, then it meant that he was heading here. Thus, he made his way to the Haimgard [machina hangar].

The humongous Haimgard was as busy as ever, with machina departed and returned from the war. Just as he reached there, the said Delta also just landed, green neon light on his cybernetic body dimmed indicating the Avian Gear [flying mode] was not in use in this territory. Viktor marched to him as his blonde hair was easily spotted. Sharp pair of green pulsating light met with calm azure eyes as he looked up.

"Yurio." Viktor said with both hand residing in his coat pockets. The machina responded after scanning his ID that was hanging on neck.

-Copied. Aus-

"Welcome back." He smiled despite earning none from the other. "What is the brief report of the cluster damage?" Viktor asked straightforward.

The machina number Tc-Ac1003d51p1 [Yurio] nodded before answering.

-Terra Cluster receive 0.03% damage. Aus-

"How many waves and with which Tier?" Viktor asked again.

-18 waves. Tier 5 [Giant], Tier 6 [Mythical Beast], Tier 8 [Fairie] and Tier 10 [Dwarven]. Aus-

Viktor hummed in response, finger tapping his chin while he was in his thought.

-additional report: Tier 4 [Drakon] is spotted but makes no move. Clusters are directed to not engage until Terra Cluster's 1st Delta re-link to the arsenal. Aus-

"Have you sync with Yuri?" Viktor asked, resting his hand on his side.

-Positive. Synchronized 42 minutes ago. Aus-

 _That is just when Yuri is rebooted._ "I see. Alright Yurio, thank you." Viktor nodded to him. "One more question. Are you joining Terra Cluster later as a squad?" His inquiry stopped the Delta from marching to wherever he was assigned to.

-Negative. Ac1003d51p1 is requested to reconnect to Audra Cluster. New command: guard the Lumen Arc. Aus-

Yurio left right after answering his last question. Viktor returned to his thought as he was walking around in the base. Drakon was spotted but no reaction. Other clusters also did not attack. Why? They are as best as Terra Cluster too and they are all a hive mind. Then only it clicked in his mind. _The data synchronization,_ Viktor concluded. _Since Terra Cluster engaged with it before, they need the analysis result to counteract. But then the 1st Delta [analysis unit] -Yuri- encounter analysis glitch, they did not have the full clear analysis._

Viktor's feet were still making its way from place to place, nodding and saluted at the persons he recognized. Then, he stopped at a familiar facility which was currently in use. He could not enter it however as he would get himself killed during the test. Thus, he moved to the monitoring room instead, expecting to meet his close friend. As the door slid open after scanning his ID tag, he greeted the rounded bespectacled man.

"Hi, Chris!" Viktor said while plastering his friendly smile.

"Hey, Viktor." The man -another fellow scientist indeed- looked away from the monitor and winked at the familiar guy. "A minute he was out to work and you already missing him, huh" Chris remarked looking back at the monitor.

"Who?" Viktor confused for a moment until his eyes settled on the screen. "Ah, _him._ " He let out a content sigh.

 _He don't even bother to hide._ Chris thought. While keeping up with the update of his condition, Chris joined Viktor into staring at the screen, showing a dazzling machina in combat, utilizing various armaments in the Null Void [proving ground]. "Beautiful, isn't he?" Chris stated undeniably.

Tilting his head a little to the side, Viktor agreed, "yeah... and sexy too." He smirked licking his lips. "Ah~ I can't wait until he completed the program." Viktor whined.

Chris nodded and putting his arm around his friend's shoulder. "Then, I want my own machina to love me too. Then we can experiment love on each other." Chris smiled suggestively. "Or did you already..?"

"Chris, he is nowhere near _there_ yet." Viktor flatly denied. "He is too pure and innocent." _And still not compatible._

"Like a baby huh," Chris fixed his glasses and walked back to the monitor, reading the update on the report. It looked like machina number Tc2191d23k1 [Yuri] performed successfully. He glanced back at the screen, the image of high concentrate and deadly machina moving faster than the sound and also could kill stronger and powerful beings in a swift was actually a baby at _heart. How cute._

"Yeah," Viktor crossed his arms, eyes never leave the cybernetic figure donned in black with silver white neon light on his body. "It's even harder than teaching a baby who a mother is." Viktor can't helped but admitted it.

 _Wow, that's sound very tough._ "Hey viktor," Chris said while furiously typing on his computer, "why don't you try a simulation program on him? That's easier than starting from base one. I would've do it though if a machina is specially assigned to me." Chris suggested thoughtfully.

Viktor let out a heavy sigh as he sat on a nearby chair. "Then the original objective would not be achieved. I want him to develop the 'heart' himself, not predetermine action. He won't be able to respond if things are out of his input on it." He explained clearly, pushing up his glasses.

Turning to face Viktor, Chris argued back intellectually, "but he is able to analyze, calculate and respond accordingly. What's the matter then?"

" _What's the matter,_ huh?  _ **This** -_" Viktor motioned with his head towards the screen, "-is the _matter_. Yeah, he did analyzed, calculated and responded accordingly, _only_ for it to appear as a mass of errors and irregularities. He even _panicked,_ Chris."

Chris let a long nod, finally he understood. _He don't know what is right or wrong._ Those actually doesn't matter since the heart is sensation and instinct all alone. But machina don't have that. _So, what is a need and what is a want must be the same to him. Poor machine._

Well, a perk for humanity! Even though our existence was almost wiped out back then.

"Once he develops his own 'heart', he could love me back, out of his own free will..." Viktor muttered faintly and barely audible to Chris, blue eyes longing for the figure inside the Null Void. _I'm waiting, Yuri._

His friend put down the round glasses and commented, "you have completely fallen for him, I see."

Viktor just responded with a small smile, he could say it was love at first sight, although it happened at unsightly event. Looking at the screen, Yuri seemed to be at the last phase of overall test. Then, suddenly an announcement came from the computer.

'Test completed! All 67 941 armaments at best condition. All new equipment tested and verified. Machina is ready.'

"Wow, alright. '1st Delta of Terra Cluster, come to the monitoring room.' " Chris command through the voice detector device.

"How much armaments increase since the war?" Viktor asked Chris while they were at it. Armaments are weapons developed from the encounter with the enemies or enemies' moves that had been analyzed, replicated and improved. That's why machina was most feared beings to be declared as enemy especially in battle since they cannot be fooled twice.

"Hm, not much. I assumed he had encountered most of it in the future and just sync with current machinas." Another trivia; did you know Yuri was actually from the future? He came exactly before the Armageddon to salvage humanity at his best, the exact moment the launch of new discovery; machina. Coincidence? "But since the Drakon incident, it should increase at least one more."

Suddenly, the door slid open and let the said machina entered as directed. Both pair of eyes were on him. He appeared unworn albeit the ferocious test. His black hair slicked back _sexily_ -according to Viktor and Chris- unfazed. His silver neon light was still glimmering and his brown rings of light impulse slightly narrowed. _Ah, I miss the wide pure irises of light,_ Viktor thought.

"Yuri! Well done!" Viktor cheered with open arms, expecting the machina to hug him back but sadly, he stayed still. "Yu~ri~" Viktor acted as if he was starting to sob.

Chris let out a chuckle before turning to face Yuri. "Very well, what's the new speed achieved with the updated Avian Gear?"

-Avian Gear new speed: Mach 3.4 inside Null Void. Calculated speculation; could reach a maximum of Mach 5. Aus-

 _Wow_ , three to five time faster than the sound.

"Impressive." Chris noted. "Now that it's done here, you have to report back to Haimgard. Wait for the order to deploy with the rest of the cluster. You are dismiss and go kick some Drakon ass." Chris said and gave a salute.

-understood. Aus-

Yuri left shortly without even bother to interact with Viktor like before. Well, he was in 'Delta mode' of course he had to stay focus! Even if flash of errors in his kernel and the [HEART] was shouting 'do something!' at him. What should he do? He _doesn't know_ and his only focus is to end the war ahead.

"Are you not going to follow him?" Chris asked glancing to Viktor.

Fixing his blue glasses, he said dramatically, "I'll be following him~ to the end of this world!"

"The world ended already," Chris sighed. "What's the plan? I mean, I want to take a break. Wanna join?" Chris invited him while stretching his muscle.

"Nah, I'll pass. I actually come up with something better to do. Bye, Chris! See you later then." Viktor waved at Chris before he left the room.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> complete work is on ff.net, still I want to contribute the story here too! 
> 
> *[AI-HPC] : artificial intelligence-high performance computing.
> 
> **machina serial number decryption- e.g: Tc (cluster/position:Terra Cluster) 2191 d (unit type: Delta) 23 k (random letter from original name: katsuki) 1 *all number are random*


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> just a reminder, as machina's identity is known through the serial number, pay attention to the letter at the end to know who is speaking, their name only mention once in the bracket like this [ ] and the letter of the unit type (a-alpha, d-delta, t-theta, s-sigma) to know their position in a cluster.
> 
> The notes at the end would explain the unit type.
> 
> enjoy!

The silver haired scientist continued to march to the center of military base, the AC115 [control room] where all the orders came from. It fitted with quite a number of officers wearing white with gold lining uniform, in various field varying from proofers, interpretors, data decryption, transmission and communication, safety and defense, and others that he not quite familiar.

As he arrived at the mechanical double doors, he faced with a slight problem here. The door won't let him enter although he had scanned his ID tag. 'No entry' was flashed on the door. Weird, he entered just fine last two weeks. _It must be Yakov or Lilia,_ he thought. Oh well, time to use his awarded position! "Okay, 'security, overwrite authority. Code [2512], name: Viktor Nikiforov.'..." Viktor said clearly and scanned his thumb instead.

-access granted-

 _Bless you forever Lumen Arc, kindest being of all._ Viktor grinned as he walked in and the first person he greeted was... "Yakov! It has been a while."

"Viktor! Where is your manner? Wait, how could you- nevermind..." Lieutenant Yakov Feltsman let out a tired sigh. He did not want to bother about it again, as he just able to walk as he pleased, no restrictions. "I don't understand why _he_ favours you."

"That's because I take care of his greatest child and nurture him with love~" Viktor proudly said, face crinkled in happiness just to annoy him more.

"Enough, Viktor. I don't need to hear that. Just a brief report of him." Yakov deemed while crossing his arms.

Thus, Viktor straightened his posture and pushed up his glasses before explaining, "right, he has quite a number of damages but they're not permanent. The memory containing the data is safe. I have restricted the path of [HEART] to the kernel. It won't interfere with the operating system again. So..."

"So?" Yakov insisted.

"So, now he has two way of thinking, as a normal hive mind and his own conscious but it's still developing." Viktor ended.

"Isn't it some sort of different mode you set on him, Viktor?" Yakov asked again to confirm.

"No, it's his own personality developed from the understanding of [HEART], I do not install a simulation, Yakov." Viktor denied it clearly. People were starting to glance at them as the conversation took more that two minutes, they must be wondering what kind of discussion a scientist programmer and lieutenant general have anyway? Viktor came here quite often too since back then.

"But you always prefer to communicate with 'Yuri mode', I noticed." Yakov let out his suspicious.

"God, I'm _helping_ him to develop the [HEART]. Yakov, you know I cannot command all Delta." Viktor rubbed his temple hearing at the baseless suspicious. "I'm thankful enough that Lumen Arc assigns only Yuri to me."

"Okay Viktor, I understand." Yakov nodded and turned to face multiple screens behind him. It displayed numerous data of reports, machinas, clusters, that they need to be informed every seconds. "I just don't want you to mess up with him. He is the best Delta after all. That's why we're working even _harder_ so that we don't lose him." Yakov voiced his worry, looking a little troubled.

Yakov always worry about Yuri -and Yurio- but for him to look this troubled was unsettling. "Did something come up? Could it be- finally... Tier 1 [Unknown]?" Viktor looked even more concerned.

"We suspect it is. Lumen Arc came up with the result of calculation of upcoming battle. From Terra Cluster, only _four_ survive." Yakov said, voice heavy with concern.

_No way..._

Viktor breathed sharply and widened his blue eyes. Trying to confirm it, he noticed from the corner of his eyes that General machina laR041g5067c1 [Calestino] was still communicating with Lumen Arc, probably trying to find a solution before his focus returned back to Yakov.

"Our priority is of course, for Yuri to survive, and the 2nd Delta too as they are the most important unit. Even the Alpha's [command unit] state is uncertain, so he is highly deem lost in the battle." Yakov explained his intention but still it did not ease anything at all.

"Sir, the result of another calculation is out. But Terra Cluster still receive the most damage even if mega cluster is formed. We would still win the war but the survival rate remain low." Yuuko, one of the officer there came with the report to Yakov. "Sir, I still don't understand why it concerns Terra Cluster the most." She added.

"It's true, Sir." Takeshi, one of Yuuko team members come and saluted to Yakov. "It's as if Terra Cluster particularly face it head-on, even in a mega cluster."

"I see." Yakov nodded at the report and concerns from everyone. "Please continue the research, we are not giving up." He said to the duo. They quickly gave a salute before returned back to their place. Then, he glanced at Viktor as if asking if he knew anything.

Viktor just shook his head worriedly, "I swear that previous incident could never happen again. They are all have the same connected mind in the battle so the survival rate should be even." _But why?_ Viktor tapped his chin as he was thinking, eyebrows furrowed.

Suddenly, the door slid open and another figure in lab coat entered. "Viktor, I told you do not enter the control room just to disrupt the peace. Please, return quickly." The middle aged female came closer with her heels clicking the floor.

Viktor turned around at the mention of his name. "Lilia, do you know about this? Our current situation?" He asked the head scientist slightly panicked, paying no mind to the warning.

"Yes, I was informed a few moment ago. That's why I'm here." She answered resting both her hands on each side. She turned to the Lieutenant General, "what's the meaning of this, Yakov? This is by far the most terrible result. How could it still happens when all equipments and armaments are upgrade!" Lilia voiced out sternly, drawing more attention to this group discussion.

"Calm down, Lilia." Yakov raised up his hand motioning to slow down her tone. "First, it's still a calculation, It did not happen yet." Yakov tried to assured.

Lilia rolled her eyes, "oh please, have Lumen Arc miscalculate anything? Even the Drakon incident also within its calculation. Now, you are doubting him?" Lilia assumed as she narrowed her eyes at Yakov. As a fellow scientist, to doubt such a perfect calculated algorithm is an insult to their stand and belief.

Viktor cannot argue either but he has faith in the _smallest_ miracle, just like humanity back then, just like _he was_ back then. He clenched his hand on his chest.

"I'm not doubting anything, Lilia. I'm as desperate as to let them survive, _all_ of them..." Yakov said massaging the bridge of his nose. Things were getting harder every moment. He wondered what was actually the best move right now.

A few seconds passed in silence in the heated argument and the three of them noticed the General coming in their way.

-Lieutenant General Yakov Feltsman. Aus-

"Yes, sir." Yakov responded with a salute.

-Lumen Arc is still calculating various probabilities, both significant or not. As a fact, Tier 1 is irregular. Thus, results should be ever changing. But he orders to consider the very first calculation result in the meantime. Aus-

"Noted, sir." Yakov saluted again, indicating that he understand the situation, but looking even more dreadful.

"What does it mean, Yakov?" Viktor asked despite very feared of the answer that he had expected coming from Yakov.

_"It's time to deploy."_

_...!_

* * *

_{alert!} database updated [new input received]_

_{reading data} information verified_

_{{HEART}} data irrelevant. [doubt] survival rate: 0.00821% [request for reanalyze]_

_{alert!} system: could not fulfill request. [Calculation still in-progress]_

_-{Tc0107d42m3 [Minami]} survival result unknown. [Suggestion] collective voting. [request for permission] Aus-_

_-{Tc2191d23k1} objection. [reason] final calculation still pending. [Request] prioritized final result. Aus-_

_-{Tc8432a91j4 [JJ]} all noted. Result for permission [deferred]. all unit prepare for battle. Form MV9.6.112 [activate]. Aus-_

_{new command!} Terra Cluster, Audra Cluster, Lito Cluster, Exa Cluster deploy in T-minus 600 seconds_

* * *

Viktor exited the control room and took off his glasses. He leaned on the wall for a few moment, trying hard to comprehend everything. His mind was still wracking at the discussion.

_"How could you deploy them when it's not certain that they survive? We only send them when victory is certain and it never fail."_

_"We have to, Viktor. Lumen Arc said it so. He know more than anyone else about machina and what they are capable of. If Lumen Arc give an order, then victory is already certained, even in this situations."_

_"And let 483 machina get destroyed? Yakov, the casualties don't even reach 50 machina when they annihilate Tier 3 [Avwana] completely!"_

As he was still in dazed, even people around him passed in a blurr. He tried taking steady breathe, wracking his brain to search for a way. What could he do at this time? He certainly did not want to lose Yuri. Even if Yuri did survive, _how would he feel?_

"Hey, Viktor!" That loud voice disrupted his train of thought making him glancing in that way. It probably coming from Minako, his fellow colleague. "Do you know where is Georgi? I'm trying to find him to discuss this new diagnosis." She asked, mentioning the file in her hand.

"Is he not in the facility?" Viktor asked after a short pause, tilting his eyebrow slightly.

"Apparently, no. He should've responded to me at once." Minako let out a sigh, small frown on her face. "Do you have any idea where he's off to?"

Viktor thought for a moment before replying, "he probably went somewhere to take a breathe. He seems a little down these days. I heard he just broke up."

Minako let out an acknowledged 'oh' uninterestedly. "I see. Then, why you... seems a little off today?" She asked, staring at him.

"...I am?" _Did I really show that much of worries?_ Viktor thought silently.

"Yeah, you look a little depressed while in thought." She assumed. "If you need a help or anything, feel free to come to me though, or Chris or Georgi, we are a team after all." Minako added with a pat on his shoulder.

"Okay, thanks. I'm just... a little tired." Viktor said with an onscreen smile plastering his face.

"Well, see ya." She did not press any further even though she realized there was more to it. Minako just left with a wave as she knew Viktor won't tell a thing.

There was only one thing echoed in his mind right now.

_"Viktor, If you know any other way to protect him, now is the time."_

Then, Viktor finally decided. He walked toward his lab quickly, reaching for the thing he meant to give to Yuri when he was deemed ready. _But that doesn't matter right now._ He wanted to help. So, he need to _know._

 _I have less than 10 minutes._ Viktor thought as he made a run to it.

* * *

 _'_ Attention. All unit in Terra Cluster, Audra Cluster, Lito Cluster, Exa Cluster deploy in T-minus 300 seconds'

The sound of the announcement echoed throughout the base made Viktor put more effort into his sprint towards the Haimgard. He did not care how frantic he look or how his breath ragged. His feet kept pacing forwards, barely dodged or brushed with other staff or machina, his fist firmly enclosed the small box in his hand until a familiar sight of high end tempered glass panels that separated the heavily occupied colossal Haimgard and the hallway came into his view.

_Yuri_

Viktor slowed his steps and stopped in front of the entrance. He frantically searched for his ID tag and swiped it to the scanner a little forcefully. To his dismay, it beeped with a warning sound and flashed 'no entry'. Usually, people are not allowed to stay in the Haimgard during a mega deployment of machinas for safety measure.

Viktor clicked his tongue and switch to the voice detector instead, "...'overwrite authority. Code [2512] name: Viktor Nikiforov'..." He commanded.

Then, it took a few seconds to process the command, probably debating whether to let him enter or not. It felt like an eternity to him looking at the circling light telling him 'please wait'. Even the people passed by starting to look in his direction for a moment wondering what was he doing as he was trying to enter the temporarily restricted area but they did not stop him either. Then, finally it let a 'ding!' sound.

'access granted. [warning] leave at least 80 seconds before clusters deployment'

 _Thank you._ He silently thanked to the security and Lumen Arc basically for being considerate even at the time like this. As if the system knew who he was looking for, Yuri turned to his direction and marched to him formally.

He stopped at a safe distance in front of Viktor and gave a salute before speaking in 'Delta mode'.

-Viktor Nikiforov, your presence is not required here. Please leave for your own safety. Aus-

_Yuri..._

_Don't go... Stay..._

The silver haired bit his lower lip knowing that he could never voice it out. He instead walked up close to Yuri, holding both of his shoulders and said, "I want to speak to Yuri... please..." He begged to the machina, bright azure eyes pleaded hopefully.

The machina stared blankly. But he knew, beyond those pair of vibrant brown light pulses, there were numerous computing ongoing within this few seconds, both his system and 'heart'.

_{Alert!} System: persona request to interact with machina Tc2191d23k1 privately. [action] declining request_

_{Alert!} System: [reason #1] persona is not allow inside Haimgard at the moment._

_{Alert!} System: [reason #2] Persona require permission from AI-HPC to interact._

_{Alert!} System: [reason #3: speculation] persona has no definite urgency with machina._

_{{HEART}} objection. [regarding reason #1] persona allowed inside Haimgard with AI-HPC special permission._

_{{HEART}} [analyzed speculation #1] persona did not state the urgency in a complete request._

_{{HEART}} [analyzed speculation #2] for persona to breach security is a state of urgency._

_{alert!} System: state of urgency rebuked. [reason] persona is given authority Code [2512] to access unlimited facilities._

_{Alert!} System: [speculation] persona able to access any facilities in just the same state._

_{{HEART}} objection. [rhetorical questions] Why access Haimgard particularly? Why access during the short restricted time at the moment of deploy? Why request for [Yuri] personally?_

_{{HEART}} [assumption] persona do has certain reason(s) as a definite urgency._

_{{HEART}} {error} could not analyze persona's reason(s) [error: analysis result] incomplete state of request._

_{{HEART}} request for AI-HPC permission to allow persona interact with personalize Tc2191d23k1: switch main computing from System to HEART temporarily._

_{alert!} system: request to AI-HPC [canceling...]_

_{alert!} AI-HPC: permission granted. Main computing of Tc2191d23k1 switch to HEART [full operation]._

_{alert!} AI-HPC: [new command!] conduct full analysis of situation and persona. Respond accordingly._

Then, the brown light irises softened, "Viktor..." The machina utter in curiosity. "I'm here, what is it...?" Yuri asked worriedly, his hand reached for Viktor's left arm on his right shoulder.

At last, Viktor let out a short relief sigh. "Yuri..." He called tenderly. "I have something for you." He said, finally revealing the small box in his right arm that he clutched all these moments. Inside the small square box were a pair of gold plated circular devices at the size of regular engagement ring.

Brown light irises pulsing even brighter. Even if the machina knew what they actually were, he also knew it well what it symbolized to. Just to make it sure, Yuri lifted his gaze from the rings to meet Viktor's genuine pair of azure. "This is... for me...?" He asked timidly.

Viktor nodded with a sincere smile and said, "here, you'll be directly connected to me," while he took one and slid it on Yuri's ring finger and continued, "your feelings, your thought, everything and the same goes for me." _A bonded mind._

Then he smiled and gestured Yuri with his hand, indicating Yuri to do the same to him. The machina quickly learnt and took the other ring sliding it on Viktor's ring finger. A moment later, both rings flashed brightly for a heartbeat, showing that both devices activated simultaneously. Yuri immediately noticed a wave of informations and errors flooded his system -'heart'- which coming from both Viktor's and him.

_{HEART} analysis input: target [relieved] [delighted] [concern] [pleased] [longing] [worry] [trust] [love] ..._

_{HEART} [error] massive data received. [result] multiple computing crashed._

_{HEART} [error] unable to determine priority. Thorough analysis required._

_{HEART} [error] analysis is still pending..._

_{HEART} [error] analysis is still pending..._

_{HEART} [error] analysis is still pending..._

Viktor realized it too of what had been running in his head -system- as Yuri appeared kind of 'dumbfounded'. Thus, the loving scientist assured the machina as he brought his hand to Yuri's cheek gently, "hush Yuri... don't panic... It's okay." His thumb circulated on the replicated soft flesh tenderly.

Sensing it as an act of affection and caring, Yuri calmed down his computing a little, focusing on Viktor instead. "Whenever you're facing a difficulty or not, or you're just unsure, share it with me... I'll help you, Yuri." He listened to Viktor who was kissing his ring and nodded.

Viktor said as they closed the distance to a breath, touching their forehead, "So, help me understand you, Yuri..." . His voice wavered every second knowing he had to let Yuri go. As the final act of compassion and yearning, he sealed Yuri's lips with his fully. A complete chaste smooch that Yuri did not even had the time to process or replicate blinking.

" _I love you, Yuri..."_ Viktor whispered passionately.

Then, his machina body experienced a surge of warmness, both from overflowing emotions in his 'heart' and Viktor's body as the man hugged him. Unable to fully understand the last quote, Yuri chose to recite it back, _brimming_ with his current 'emotion'.

_...!_

Viktor could no longer hold the dam that was breaking. He felt the lump in his throat as his breath staggered and warm liquids flowed down his cheek. He shut his eyes only to let it flow more. "Yuri... you must... come back... Promise me... you _will_ return!" He cradled Yuri's face in his hands, voice barely cracked into crying.

'Alert: T-minus 100 seconds until deploy. All unit standby.'

Looking into glistering azure eyes, Yuri said calmly, wiping away the tears, "it's okay, Vitya. Everything is going well..." The machina assured Viktor back. "Now, stay safe. I'm going..." He added, holding both Viktor's hands on the cheeks and slowly backing away from him.

Viktor however unable to stop Yuri or reach out to him as he was escorted to the safety behind the tempered glass. Feeling overwhelmed by everything, he watched forlornly from behind the glass as Yuri returned back to the cluster's formation and activated his Avian Gear.

The machina did not even look back once, know that the other still there. He only glimpsed at the shiny device on his finger shortly and clenched it safely in his hand before finally took off with the clusters.

_Yuri..._

_please survive..._

Trying to quell his tears by caressing the gold ring with his finger, Viktor recited or rather replayed Yuri's enchanted words in his mind, knowing that the other _person_ listened to it too like a broken tape.

_"I... love you.., Vitya."_

_I Love You_

**_I Love You._ **

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *fyi there are 7 important unit in a cluster; Alpha [command unit], 2 Theta [observation unit], 2 Delta [analysis unit] and 2 Sigma [examination unit]. a cluster has a total of 487 machinas. of 6 Squadrons.
> 
> **Alpha's duty is to give command, decide the actions or move and assign squadrons. Theta units are to observe, whether it is enemies' move, scouting new area etc and to report their findings to Alpha and Delta. Sigma units would examine the after effect, usually of their actions or the enemies and report to Alpha and Delta. Hence, Delta units would use these data to analyze, calculate the possibility, find a solutions and suggest the next option or move to Alpha, then the Alpha would decide or give command. this whole process happens within seconds or miliseconds. yes, they are that efficient. :D
> 
> you see, I didn't focus much on these technical part because it is heavy and difficult to read or understand. Even though it is quite awesome to write :3 but more on how Yuuri learns to understand human. I hope you guys still enjoy it!
> 
> ***and there are 10 tiers of creatures. they are not that important but It would be explained briefly on next chapter.
> 
> these info is necessary to understand next chapter, or else you would highly didn't have a grasp of what happen during the battle. *cold sweat*
> 
> anyway, thanks for reading!


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> here it is, my favourite chapter :3 A brief information on the Tiers is at the end. Again, pay attention to the serial number (the letter) to know who is talking and their duty. take it as a challenge to understand the situation, da? :3
> 
> enjoy!

To avoid confusion, here it is:

**Viktor's inner dialogue with Yuri**

**-Yuri inner talk with Viktor-**

"normal talking"

_inner thought_

_-machina inner thought-_

_-serial number: machinas inner communication. Aus-_

And there is system computing too... (refer to chapter 1)

Now, let's begin~

* * *

.

.

.

It had been a few _days._

Those few days he did not even had a decent sleep, and he missed _him_ so much.

Did Yuri feels the same? Did he _feels it?_

 _Of course, he did._ They were bonded together after all.

.

But it did not just stop at a few days. It escalated to _months_. Many months.

'327 days' Viktor glanced at the number displayed on the screen. It had been 87 days since he last saw Yuri and more than 10 months since the war started here on this alienated planet. The first six months of the battle took place in the stratosphere with Tier 3 [Avwana], the floating colossal creature that moved in a group and acted as a shield to the planet. It was quite a cut-throat battle. Nevertheless, the machina still won.

Once all of them were destroyed, only then they were able to land. However, exploration and colonization were unavailable due to other existing tiers that were detrimental to human. So, in order to make it habitable, those had to be exterminated first. Albeit as cruel as it sounded, they did not live here either. It was like a 'zoo', a colourful of beings taken and kept here to obey one and only Tier 1 [Unknown].

Viktor stayed in the control room all along, keeping himself updated with the information of the clusters. He did not care how busy everyone was or how he was not invited here. The only thing matter was their survival and the encounter with Unknown. He noticed that from the track of records, only Tier 3 [Avwana], Tier 7 [Eilven] and Tier 9 [Daemon] were totally exterminated. Since Eilvens resided on Avwana, it was natural for them to perish along with the host, and Daemons also were not that difficult to extinguish as they were dark beings, so purifying worked just well. But the rest of the tiers still wondered all over the planet. Looking through those files, he pushed up his glasses a little. Suddenly, a tap on his shoulder jolted him a bit, so he glanced away to look at the person.

"Come, let's eat together, Minako is paying. You should not depend on those calories bar forever anyway." His fellow bespectacled colleague asked him for a group lunch.

Instead of answering him, Viktor asked in wonder, "Chris, how did you enter here?"

"Chief Lilia let me in." Chris replied pointing to the said person who was discussing with other staff. "So, are you coming or not?" He insisted.

Viktor thought for a moment. He certainly did not want to miss any details about the clusters and it had been a long while too since he had a proper meal or sleep, but he survived just fine with those calories bar and who need sleep when we have rejuvenation pod anyway. So, he was about to decline until a voice echoed in his mind.

**_-Go ahead and eat, Viktor. I'll tell you if anything happened. Stay healthy, okay.-_ **

"You too..." Viktor quietly mumbled earning a raised eyebrows from Chris. _Fine, just don't get hurt,_ he voiced back in his head, letting the other know as he touched the gold device on his finger lightly. "Okay, I'll come. Let's go." He said to Chris and stood up from his seat in front of the screen reluctantly.

* * *

The walk to the cafeteria took a few turns from the control room. The hallway was as usual, of an endless stream of people and machina going through to various facilities, but just fewer this time. Perhaps things were calm this time. _Too calm_ he noticed. Meanwhile, both Viktor and Chris engaged in a small talk about nothing in particular, just telling the other how were their works going and what had happened lately until they reached their destination.

The automatic double door slid open once it detected people coming in or out. From the doorway, they could easily spotted Minako and Georgi sitting face-to-face on a six-person rectangular table. They noticed the cafeteria was only half full yet the workers still serving food as usual. It was not really big but it was quite cozy with one side of the glass wall had a clear view of vast green land as the background. Strange, even if the planet was similar to earth, to choose this open space as the base was rather unthinkable. Easier to spot enemy, perhaps?

Both Viktor and Chris took place beside Georgi and Minako respectively. The pair seemed a little surprised as they finally realized Viktor was joining them.

"Oh Viktor, I was about to let Georgi finish your ordered meal if you haven't come." Minako said grinning slightly.

"Oh, really?" Viktor responded a little too disinterestedly then fixed his glasses on the nose and glanced at Georgi beside him.

"Guys, I already moved on so stop shoving more food to me." Georgi complained, trying to defend himself since they said he was too depressed since he broke up with his girlfriend.

"Yeah, you're right. Besides, we all know who actually should eat more at time like this." Chris said resting his chin in his hand on the table and all stares turned to the said person.

"Who? Me?" Viktor voiced out playing innocent as they all stare at him.

"You're worrying too much about your fiance." Minako narrowed her eyes on Viktor's gold band around his finger.

"Of course I am! He's fighting out there as we speak." Viktor retorted back with a sigh.

"And you started talking to yourself..." Chris added with the nearest incident in the control room playing in his mind.

"I was talking to him, Chris." Viktor replied flashing his ring to him to let him know.

"Whatever they said Viktor, we all don't want you to abandon yourself, just like when I was depressed back then, but thankfully I'm okay now..." Georgi said a little too dramatic.

Viktor just can let out a sigh and agreed with everyone or else they would never stop. After a while, a petite lady came towards them with a tray of four bowls of meal and drinks. The savoury smell invaded their nostrils just to make them even hungrier.

The small plum lady smiled sweetly as she said, "now that all are here, I can finally serve the katsudon."

"Thank you, Hiroko! I have been waiting for this." Minako thanked her as she took the chopstick and started to dig in. Both Chris and Georgi just enjoyed the meals in silence, probably indulging themselves in the marvelous taste.

But Viktor managed to voice a compliment, "so good! It was so long since I eat katsudon." Truth to be told, he did not eat any real meal since the last three months, since Yuri off to warzone.

"It's good to hear that you enjoy it, Mr. Nikiforov." Hiroko replied with a sweet face. "Oh, how is your fiance doing?" She asked since she noticed the ring.

Viktor paused for a moment, trying to find Yuri's current status on his shared mind. From what he knew, Yuri was almost done clearing an area. Then, the cluster would move to different area soon. Hence, Viktor said with a smile, "he's doing good, and excellent as ever."

"He must be very wonderful then. I want to meet him one day." Hiroko said with a dreamy face. "Oh, Toshiya is calling. Tell him I say hi and enjoy your food everyone!" She said in a rush as she returned back to the kitchen.

* * *

During the daylight of Day 327th on this planet, a group of machinas were fighting ferociously somewhere on vast a rocky terrain, with creatures of Tier 5, the Giant. The gigantic beings of forty to fifty floors height were derived from the four main elements. It was quite a nuisance to deal with but it all depends on the strategy, the machinas' speciality or its forte.

_-Tc2271s508i5 [Seung Gil]: attack successful. Target: B02#[Tier]5 damage inflicted by 42%. Target status: continue to deteriorate. Aus-_

_-Tc1892s413o31 [Leo]: Target's movement speed reduce to 73.4%. Sign of recovery detected. Aus-_

_-Tc2191d23k1: B02#5 status verified. Analysis result: [action] use VC401-3.2 [Sonic Blast] on target's left leg. Alert: Target cannot reach 75% of movement speed. Continuous engage is necessary. Aus-_

_-Tc8432a91j4: analysis verified. [Command] Squadron-1 retreat to recharge. Squadron-3 and Squadron-4 continue to engage. Direction: E015.435 and S003.2. Squadron-2 use VC401-3.2 on B02#5 in T-minus 3 seconds. Aus-_

_-Tc2011t637h8 [Phichit]: alert: [sighting] 47 units of B03#6 approaching at N32.114. Aus-_

_-Tc0107d42m3: sighting verified. Analysis result: 47-B03#6 approaching in 82 seconds. [action] first move use FC3804.4 [Lightning Sweep] radius: 1.8km and low concentration of 1000gW. Aus-_

_-Tc8432a91j4: analysis verified. [Command] Squadron-1 recharge and prepare to engage 47-B03#6. Utilize FC3804.4 at point N30.052. Aus-_

_-Tc1892s413o31: attack successful. B02#5 damage state at 76.4%. Target deteriorate at 5.7% per seconds. Target regenerate at plus-minus 11.53% per seconds. Aus-_

_-Tc2191d23k1: B02#5 status verified. Analysis result: [action] final move: utilize MX3.8.19 [Quick Strike]. Concentration: high-medium of 4500gW. [Calculation] target retaliate in plus-minus 7 seconds. Aus-_

_-Tc8432a91j4: analysis verified. [Command] Squadron-5 utilize MX3.8.19 after target retaliates. Squadron-6 take cover of retaliation. [Tc2191d23k1] request data on calculated damage and defense required. Aus-_

_-Tc2191d23k1: [data result] calculated damage received 22%-38%. Defense required: DV3.41.2 [Resistance Shield] reduce damage to 7%-11%. [Data sharing] successful. Aus-_

**_Yu~ri~_ **

**_-Eh, Viktor..?-_ **

_-Tc2271s508i5: attack successful. 47-B03#6 receive damage 210%. Target reduce to 23 units. Target retreating. Aus-_

**_Yeah, it's me. Hey, Hiroko says hi to you!_ **

_-Tc0107d42m3: 23-B03#6 status verified. Proceed to final move: use FC3804.4 [Lightning Sweep] radius: 1.1km and lower concentration of 800gW. Aus-_

**_-Oh... Hi there, Hiroko.-_ **

_-Tc1892s413o31: attack successful. B07#5 status: defeated. Cluster damage at 8.1%. Aus-_

**_You know, Yuri... her katsudon is the best! So delicious!_ **

_-Tc7120t015g4 [Guang Hong]: Area 67 scouting report: [sighting] 3-C01#5, 62-C02#6, 2418-C03#10. Aus-_

**_-Delicious... That must be the delightful sensation you make me feel. I still don't understand it but I want to feel it again.-_ **

_-Tc2271s508i5: attack successful. 23-B03#6 status: defeated. Cluster damage at 1.3%. Area 65 all cleared. Aus-_

**_then, I will make sure you feel it, Yuri. As many as you want. Even your achievements in the battle, they always make me feel delightful and at ease, each one of it..._ **

_-Tc8432a91j4: Area 65 status: verified. [Command] cluster recovery. Request full report from Sigma units. Report is required for Probe E [Evaluator unit] to perform ID+R [Instant Decomposition and Reconstruction]. All units move to Area 67 in T-minus 900 seconds. Aus-_

**_-hm...like... right now?-_ **

* * *

At the cafeteria, Viktor was still sipping his drink as he already finished the delicious katsudon and silently contained his grinning. _Right now?_ He thought quietly at what could Yuri mean by that. But lucky him, he did not need to wait any longer as the announcement answered him shortly.

'announcement: Terra Cluster successfully clear Area 65'

His drink almost spilled as he tried to stop giggling and also received weird stare from the trio that was still with him. They might already think he is crazy anyway, laughing out nowhere -if they failed to notice the announcement, that is.

**_Of course! Good job, Yuri! You're amazing!_ **

"Viktor, are sure you're alright?" Minako asked worriedly, eyebrows furrowed as she held her coffee carefully.

**_-Thank you... Though it isn't me alone, there are clusters'...-_ **

**_But you are the heart of the cluster, Yuratchka._ **

"Oh yes, nothing. I'm okay, really..." Viktor answered smiling at her -or not really- while playing with the rim of his glass of drink. Minako still did not convinced with that answer.

**_-the heart, as in the position I am or the special program I have?-_ **

Chris who was sitting beside Minako elbowed her a little, "don't mind him, he is dreaming about his favourite machina." He attempted to whisper to her but purposely let the other two heard him too, or probably just Georgi. Viktor paid no mind as his fiancé occupied his mind and heart after all.

**_The position, silly. Your special 'heart' belongs to me..._ **

**_-I thought It's mine own that I develop with your help?-_ **

Georgi who was next to Viktor only glanced at him and muttered, "ah, young and naive love it seems..."

**_...you still have a long way to understand love, my dear Yuri..._ **

Viktor let out a contented and half dejected sigh. He nodded slowly and replied to Georgi, "true, indeed..."

* * *

 **-** **_Love_ ** **...** **_It's an emotion, right? The most complex one...-_ **

The machinas in each squadrons of Terra Cluster regrouped on the ground after the recent battle was confirmed ended. Some of the directed machinas were still examining the aftermath for the report later. While most of them did self-maintenance for recovery to ensure that all units were restored to their best state.

**_Well, it is, Yuri. But it isn't that hard either, as 'love at first sight' do exist._**

Yuri who was making little adjustment of his armaments reciprocated a facial look of frowning.

_{System} statement evaluation result: [error] definite condition nonexistent. [error: situation irrational] lack of input caused one to experience complex emotion at once. [error] require special program thorough analysis_

_{{HEART}} status: analysis in-progress. Shared data: analysing... Completion time expected: [unknown] calculating..._

**_-It sounds irrational to me... Viktor, I don't understand. The system said it's an error-_ **

**_You, my dear, of course it sounds irrational towards machina as you are the most logical, reasonable, systematic being ever created._ **

_{System} statement evaluation result: affirmative._

**_But love is like a surprise, a good one. So, it defies logic and reasoning._ **

_{System} statement evaluation result: [logic confirmed] affirmative._

_{System} reevaluation: deduction result [complete] require persona confirmation._

After that, Yuri returned to his position immediately after completing his self recovery. Once all the machinas were ready, they moved into formation and activated their Avian Gear to depart to the new area. At the same time, Yuri resumed to his inner conversation with Viktor.

**_-So, love is irrational. Considering me, a rational being then, I cannot feel love?-_ **

Then, Yuri confirmed -was feeling- a wave of denial, determine, concerns, comfort, all coming from Viktor. He assured lovingly -which Yuri still trying to feel- in his mind.

**_No no, sweetheart. Yuri, love is unconditional, everyone and anyone can feel love and being loved._ **

Moving at the speed of Mach 2.5, the scenery passed in a blurry. The rocky terrain, the long fluid river, dense green forest below all registered in his system but Yuri was still too busy learning about 'love'.

**_Would you teach me about it? Could a machina feels the 'love'...-_ **

Yuri felt a surge of excitement in response both from him and Viktor. Though he sensed Viktor felt a little bit upset but just for a beat as his endearing feelings towards the machina were overwhelming.

**_Of course, my dear! I already am from the start. Yuratchka, Don't tell me you didn't notice all those gestures..._ **

The Delta unit could felt his human was pouting from his response. He smiled as his 'heart' contemplated that it was amusing. Yuri had long felt this exciting and eager to learn new things, to analyze it, to understand it. He had analyzed a lot of things, from the smallest atom to the vast universe. Even so, everything that is exciting only revolved around humans.

_-Unconditional Love...huh...-_

_'...'_

_-One...-_

Humans are so full of surprises, something that can make their calculation invalid and could be thrown right away down the drain. Thus, they discovered emotions and weird rationals are the one exist behind all of it. as a result, their calculation on humans are ever changing that makes it exciting compared to those boring constant patterns of anything else. That's why Yuri determined to understand something that they did not naturally have.

And finally, a _chance_ to fix his mistake.

Meanwhile, the machinas were still flying towards the new uncleared area. The Terra Cluster already defeated a Drakon, two Giants and quite numerous Mythical Beasts and Fairies on the last area. There was only one Drakon left in Area 64 and Exa Cluster was dealing with it. Most of that Tier 4 beings were fought and defeated in the last three months. Even if there were only six of them but fighting those beings was the hellish so far. They strived more than 30 waves per Drakon. Nevertheless, the numbers reduced as the machinas improved or learnt a new way to handle them. So far, there was none that they could not defeat.

Of course, it was not too early to say that, the battle was at its peak and almost end after all.

Just like the Lumen Arc had calculated.

_-Tc7120t015g4: warning! [sighting] incoming powerful force from S12.5 within T-minus 2 seconds. Aus-_

_-Tc2191d23k1: sighting verified. damage: calculating... Survival rate: calculating... [analysis in-progress] quick action: evade at all cost. Aus-_

_-Tc8432a91j4: situation verified. [Command] all units evade. Use Form XV89.7.41. Aus-_

**_-this is...!-_ **

**_Yuri, is everything okay? I sense discomfort coming from you..._ **

_-Tc2191d23k1: Analysis result: [Alert! Code: red] false attack towards cluster! Attack originally aim at [AI-HPC]! [Request emergency connection to Audra Cluster] Aus-_

**-** **_Viktor, I have a bad feeling about this surprise attack...-_ **

_-Tc8432a91j4: request accepted. [Connecting to Alpha unit of Audra Cluster] Aus-_

**_What is it, Yuri? Tell me...!_ **

_-Ac419a7006b3 [Otabek]: connection successful. [Delta unit of Terra Cluster] State the emergency. Aus-_

_-Tc2191d23k1: incoming attack towards the base in T-minus 20 seconds! Analysis result: [error] EX001! Aus-_

**_-there is incoming attack towards the base... Not just any attack, it is Nebula Strike!-_ **

_-Ac419a7006b3: irregular situation verified. [Command] request data analysis and counter act. Aus-_

**_Impossible... That is one of the machina ultimate move! A machina couldn't possib- oh no..._ **

_-Ac731d0689l6 [Mila]: data analysis unavailable. [error] data inexistent in [AI-HPC] algorithm. Analysis still pending...Aus-_

**_-Yes... It's Tier 1, Viktor.-_ **

**_...Yuri, what would you do? That move can even destroy a star... We are going to die!_ **

_-Ac1003d51p1: quick action: use ultimate move C-NEO [Immunity Granted: Neutrality] for counter act. Prioritize first immediate analysis of Tc2191d23k1. Aus-_

_-Tc2191d23k1: first immediate analysis result [complete] suggestion: use LK101 [Meta Shift] instead. Redirect attack toward the source. Aus-_

**_-Viktor, calm down. First, we'll try to destroy using its own attack. Don't worry, the base is safe, though it's probably dark for a few moments...-_ **

_-Ac419a7006b3: suggestion accepted. [Command] all units prepare to activate LK101. Synchronize armament with Terra Cluster. Aus-_

**_What do you mean, Yuri?!_ **

_[[Alert!]] AI-HPC: [command] half units of Audra Cluster form Elysian Shield [Divine Protection] on the base. [reason] unable to retain Plasma Shield due to temporary shutting down main core powerplant to brace the impact._

_-Ac419a7006b3: direct command verified. All units move as directed. Aus-_

* * *

The first person to notice Viktor's suddenly off behavior was Minako who had been sitting opposite of him. She stared again at the bespectacled man in front of her who seemed to look out beyond the wide end glass window, colours all drained from his face.

"What are you seeing Vi..." Even she was unable to finish her sentence as she confirmed it herself, looking in the same direction as Viktor.

Soon, everyone on the table joined, heck! even all the people in the cafeteria -or the base totally- noticed something was off and in great danger as all the lights suddenly switched off, there was no power and only the emergency dim red lights illuminated the base. Then, there was a grave announcement.

'Attention! Emergency situation Code: Yellow. the powerplant is temporarily shut down to brace the impact. Everyone stay calm. AI-HPC and the machinas still in action. Repeat...'

Within seconds, the bright light that Viktor spotted earlier at the horizon becoming nearer and brighter. But everything around seemed so dark, bright daylight before becoming pitch black except that hostile light, as if the attack absorbed every photons as it came through.

Just at the right moment, the base was suddenly surrounded with machinas of Audra Cluster, aurora pillars appeared forming a dome and a line up of machinas of the same cluster marched forward to the attack, tearing an invisible dimension far apart to form transcendent void which would swallow the irregular enfilade.

And they succeeded.

The Nebula Strike vanished before the transcendent void which Viktor recognized the move as Meta Shift, and then it was daylight again, with the power returning back and the lights were switched on. But, back at the horizon it reappeared, very dark side over there with a stream of bright light flared vibrantly upwards for a few moments. The strike was still visible in the sky even if the flare already stopped, as if the strike was still ongoing up there, like the birth of a new star.

Now Viktor felt much dreaded in his stomach, like a bubbling foul witch cauldron, even all the tasty katsudons could not make up for this feeling. Thus, he shot upright and dashed to the control room, leaving his clueless colleagues behind.

.

.

.

' _[[HEART]] Unconditional Love: Self sacrificed and uncalculated'_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here it is. Tiers are based on their strength so, higher tiers can defeat lower tiers.
> 
> Tier 1 Unknown:- main enemy, 'no data within AI-HPC'
> 
> Tier 2 Machina -none- (since they are the strongest, they are second to Unknown. But none of them ally to Tier 1)
> 
> Tier 3 Avwana -defeated- (mega colossal creature the size of an island or continent, floating in stratosphere to protect the planet. Now, human have landed on the planet, they are all gone)
> 
> Tier 4 Drakon -6 of them, 5 defeated- (super colossal Dragon, the Alpha Dragon. 100 times bigger than normal size.) 
> 
> Tier 5 Giant (natural element golem. still a colossal, half size of the Drakon)
> 
> Tier 6 Mythical Beast (all form of mythical beast like werewolf, chimera, hydra, vampire etc. Aggressive in nature)
> 
> Tier 7 Eilven -defeated- (the elf that lives on the Avwana. They did not fight but still a threat to human)
> 
> Tier 8 Fairie (the small fairies or pixies. they like to feed on other creature)
> 
> Tier 9 Daemon -defeated- (the demonic creature, powerful but not that smart)
> 
> Tier 10 Dwarven (the dwarf. slightly smaller than human but very large in numbers.) 
> 
> these are very colourful beings indeed... lol more like fantasies that science fiction. That's why i didn't focused on these that much. sorry to break to you guys because they are just there to show how prodigious a machina is. On top of it, this story is about Yuri learning to use his heart to understand human and feelings.
> 
> still this is one of my favourite work so i enjoy writing it, hope everyone do too! so thanks for reading!


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi! So here is the new chapter, hopefully no one is confuse who is speaking by now :3 anyway enjoy!

 

 

 

 

 

 

_-Ac378s8142c1 [Mickey]: Operation Base: [status] 0% damage. Elysian Shield functions perfectly. Aus-_

_-Ac379s637s2 [Sara]: attack successfully evaded. Force shifting [confirmed]. Cluster damage at 21%. Aus-_

_-Ac419a7006b3: status verified. [Command] cluster recovery. [initiate signal to Terra Cluster]. Aus-_

_-Tc8432a91j4: situation verified. [Command] all units move toward the source. [signal detected] Prepare for LK101-D4. [Tc2191d23k1] request for coordinate. Aus-_

_-Tc2191d23k1: [error] unable to analyze expected coordinate. [Irregular] target is still moving towards Operation Base. Aus-_

_-Tc0107d42m3: analysis confirmed. [suggestion] use quick move: T-21 [Stupere Trap] on target. Execution require 0.012 milliseconds. Enough time to activate LK101-D4 on the spot. Aus-_

_-Tc2191d23k1: analysis confirmed [Theory supported]. Aus-_

_-Tc8432a91j4: suggestion verified. [Command] Squadron-1, Squadron-2, Squadron-3, utilize T-21 [theta units confirmation required]. Squadron-4, Squadron-5, Squadron-6 execute LK101-D4. Aus-_

_-Tc7120t015g4: alert! [Sighting] target D01#1 within radar. Aus-_

_-Tc2011t637h8: sighting [confirmed] T-21 execution available. Aus-_

_-Tc8432a91j4: sighting verified. T-21 [activate]. Synchronized Armament Ac-Tc: LK101-D4 [activate]. Aus-_

Finally the ultimate nemesis appeared at the speed rivaled to the machina. Half of the troop instantly locked the target using the move Stupere Trap, emitting hundreds of glowering cyan rays that held the target for a mere second before the other half of units utilized the synchronized armament Meta Shift to rip open the fourth dimensions again just below the target, firing a full Nebula Strike back on the enemy.

Then, the area became dark as far as the eyes can see except for the thing that was coming out from the void. The powerful strike even made the closest units to receive quite an inevitable damage, for both Audra and Terra Cluster. However, the situation turned to dire state as expected result was proven wrong.

_-Tc2271s508i5: attack failed [abnormality detected]. D01#1 status: 18% damage [survive]. Method of survival: concentrated Elysian Shield. Aus-_

_-Tc1892s413o31: result confirmed. Alert! D01#1 recovery at 11% per seconds [update] target fully recovered. Aus-_

_-No...-_

Humanity is doomed.

And machina as well.

As the attack cleared and the area returned to its condition before. They werr revealed by a solid figure quite resembled to themselves but with notable difference, especially the mismatched eyes. Both bright yellow pulsating light paired with a three distinct irises aligned diagonally on the other eye glowed menacingly.

A stray machina, they registered. Massive Panic Mode [activate]

The breakthrough set all of them into alarming mode as they all detected the irregular, abnormality and mass of errors regarding Tier 1, finding it very hard to acknowledge as it was not like anything they ever fought before. They had never fought their own kind before!

Plus, they did not understand a thing from this new discovered fellow machine. Why he is not linked? Why is his potential is a whole new level of normal machina? Why is he doing this?

The rising in errors and alarms made them all engaged to full limit, of four hundred eighty-seven units versus one stray unpredictable machina. If only the battle was decided by the numbers, they would surely win. Inspite that, they already proven wrong by the recent attack result.

Oh this was going to be the nefarious clash ever. At the very least, until only four of them miraculously walked out unscathed.

* * *

The main facility AC115 was buzzing with reports, analysis and update on machina again, mostly about the recent attack, as it surged a quick panic throughout the base due to powerplant temporary shut down. The staff were going back and forth reporting the data and barking updates from their seats in front of the monitors, deeply absorbed in heavy discussion as they were facing the expected yet irregular crisis.

"Sir, attack us diverted successfully. Operation Base status return to normal." Takeshi announced from his department, eyes never leave the screen as he read the data.

"Information verified. Sir," Yuuko, one of the monitoring team stood up facing the Lieutenant General and request firmly, "permission to reactivate Plasma Shield."

"Permission deferred. Plasma Shield wouldn't hold another attack of that level." Yakov declined, thinking it was the best to maintain Elysian Shield instead, even if it meant to hold back half of the Audra Cluster.

It was their duty to defend the Operation Base after all.

"Noted, sir." Yuuko gave a salute before resumed to her work immediately.

"Sir, there is an important message from the head of research facility." Another staff stated, waiting for the order.

"Alright, play the message." Yakov ordered crossing his arm, his face is so serious as he listened to the message.

' _Yakov, I've read the recent data. I suspect that 74 units from Audra Cluster are highly suffered from permanent damage. Sent them immediately to the restoration centre_.'

That marked the end of the message sent by none other than the chief scientist herself. Yakov noted the message and ordered as required. He had to handle these himself until the General Machina returned from his discussion of the next action with Lumen Arc.

"Pardon me, sir, what about Terra Cluster? They also might suffer the same damage." One of the younger staff inquired to the lieutenant.

Yakov paused for a moment before answering, "we can't pull back almost a squadron for recovery while facing the main threat. The formation might break." He actually was not against the idea but it will create tiny loophole for the enemy and risking disaster.

Suddenly, the door slid open revealing a breathless figure in white lab coat holding for support from the door frame before lifting his gaze to fix his glasses and marched foward to face the second in-command. His breathing calmed down as he tried to speak, "sir, that attack... is Nebula Strike... coming from Tier 1 itself..." Viktor was slightly panting in between his speech due to sprinting his way here.

Yakov, slightly widened his pale blue eyes as Viktor confirmed the gut that he had been feeling. Yet, he did not want to admit it until the analysis result come, hoping it was a false intuition. "How... do you kno- I mean, are you sure... it is from Tier 1?" Yakov was asking the scientist in a haste.

"Yes, as I mentioned before, I'm connected to Yu- First Delta of Terra Cluster." Viktor answered unfalteringly while his hand grazing the gold device tenderly, reminding himself that he and Yuri were always together, even if one was on the other side of the planet.

There was a moment of pause until Takeshi interrupted, "Viktor, that is insane." He turned to Viktor from his screen, frown clearly showing on his face. "I mean, Nebula Strike? Really? How could any other being replicate such a special attack?" He added, voice laced with worried and unwanted surprise.

Viktor looked at him for a moment and gulped. He grew paler and his stomach felt dreadful the moment he learned about the new info which Yuri shared with him. "That is..." He paused as he hand closed his mouth for a second, not trusting it as the feeling to throw up surged as the bitter truth came from his mouth, "... because Tier 1 is machina... a stray machina." The muffled voice was cleared enough for both Takeshi and Yakov to respond with a slight gaped.

Yuuko also took a sharp breath and widened her eyes as she confirmed the situation, "sir, it's true." Then she began reading the data, "the information is confirmed by both Delta, attack verified as EX001 executed by target labeled D01#1. Deflection failed to inflict most damage. Target recovery instantly, target clarified as stray deformed machina."

"Sir, satellite image confirmed that all units fully engaged with the target. Damage state increase gradually." Takeshi announced from his place.

That update made Viktor lost his strength to stand and leaned to the nearest table for support, hand massaging his temple as his thought full of rapid fired command received and analysis from Yuri. But what made him lost himself was the result.

_Attack result: failure_

_Attack result: failure_

_Attack result: failure_

_Cluster received n% damage_

The General Machina finally emerged from the vault where he communicates with the Lumen Arc, marching forward and responded to the salute that everyone gave.

"Sir, order, sir." Yuuko requested as the situation slowly became devastated.

-Observe and record the data. Aus-

The slightly tanned looking machina ordered flatly, bright light eyes stared at the wide screen showing the satellite view. There was nothing showing on his face as to interpret the situation. They can only agree without further questions.

Yuuko could only nodded and responded, "noted, sir." even if she expecting something different.

"Is this the right thing, sir?" Takeshi asked in a hush to the Lieutenant General beside him. He knew that everyone realized it too, that we should do something.

Yakov let out an exasperated sigh, "he's not wrong. From the analysis of Terra Cluster's action, we could come out with a follow up strategy. For the time being, we will just wait and see." He explained audibly to the few of them.

Viktor was the first to snap, "What?! That's the same as doing nothing!" He stood up, azure eyes went wide with anger and disappointment. "We won't win like this! Deploy back up immediately!" He demanded to the both higher ups, ignoring the fact that he was overstepping the boundary.

However, the dark green haired captain only responded calmly without even making the eye contact.

-Negative. The order stands until further decision is made. Aus-

"Are you serious? We have to do something to reduce the casualty!" Viktor tried to persuade him desperately as he was well informed of the battle situation thanks to his fiance. He had to do something to ensure his love one survived or hopefully everyone did.

"Viktor, other divisions are still required for various mission." Yakov stated as why they did not act as he suggested. He cannot let anyone depart towards destruction without knowing how to overcome it.

Viktor retorted instantly, mind clouded with worries of Yuri's state, "just abort all of them! This is an emergency."

"That is an absurd idea, Viktor." Yakov retorted back with disapproving look at him.

Viktor let out a loud heavy sigh as he running his hand through his locks of silver hair and he replied, "did everyone forget our main enemy is Tier 1? Our main target! If we don't go full force, believe me, his next attack won't miss." Viktor sounded as distressing as the situation.

"Then it would leave us bare and defenseless against the attack. That's why I said it's a bad idea." Yakov countered back with his own stand, shaking his head at Viktor.

There was a short silence. No one dared to voice out anything and chose to focus on their work instead. Only the sound of keyboard typing and alerts on the screen echoed in the room. Viktor's expression also changed to pure dejected and hopeless.

"...What is it to lose then?" His sad eyes left the ground to meet with Yakov's, "we are all a coward if we let Terra Cluster be the scapegoat..." He added somberly.

_What is it to lose?_  Yakov eyes knitted as he answered slightly raised his voice, "are you intent to sacrifice the final generation left survived?! Think again, Viktor. Don't let your feelings clouded your judgment and decision." He warned Viktor sternly that even made everyone in the room shuddered.

-A reminder: 5 billion humans died in the last catastrophe fighting with the same enemy. A repeat of event must be avoided at all cause. Aus-

The General Machina finally turned to face Viktor, dark green light pulse met with sad azure. His hands clasped behind and his low ponytail hair hanging on his left shoulder. Then he continued with voice that Viktor could finally interpret as understanding.

-That is what he wish, and it is his priority no matter what. Aus-

Viktor bit his lips unsure if he heard it right. He tapped his chin and thought for a few moment before voiced out his concern, "if it is the same enemy then, how is that we are not informed with the presence of another stray deformed machina or even ways to overcome this abnormality?" This was not good, doubt began bubbling inside him.

But, the General simply answered;

-Incomplete data. Method of solution: uncertain. Aus-

" _Uncertain_?" Viktor repeated, face crestfallen. "What has Lumen Arc been doing all this time?"

That question left hanging and unanswered.

* * *

_-This is bad! This is bad! This is bad!...-_

Yuri began to panic in his system. Even if he managed to come out with 56 268 results of possible actions, his enemy always find out just one result, that let him survive although the possibility also remained low.

_-Tc8432a91j4: [command] Squadron-3 and Squadron-4 activate defense Form DV6.81.2 [Deflective Armor]. Aus-_

_-it's no use if both sides are on par to each other-_

_-Tc2011t637h8: Alert! [Sighting] D01#1 is creating AC Form SC5.7 [Atmospheric Condition: Supercell]. Aus-_

_-Tc0107d42m3: sighting verified. [AC analysis: result] 73% until completion. Expected time: 180-300 seconds. Intensity: [calculating...] Aus-_

_-If we stop attacking, would he stop too?-_

_-Tc2191d23k1: analysis verified. [Suggestion] ceasefire: emit [d-Waves Resonance]. Aus-_

A normal human would say he is insane. Including the machina, they would surely label him as broken, as to have the nerve or not-so-rational reasoning to suggest ceasefire amidst this chaos. He was close to excommunicate from the cluster due to that unbelievable and clearly out of suggestions idea if it was not for the [AI-HPC] approval.

_-Tc2191d23k1: [Speculation] target remains in standby mode if machina did not engage. Aus-_

By that, the machina can conclude that Lumen Arc must be as insane as First Delta is.

Soon, the resonance of Delta Waves was reverberating to each other including the enemy as this type of wave was proven effective towards humans and even machina picked it up as calming pacify mode and de-stressing the situation. If Tier 1 was originally a machina, he should pick it up too and resonate the same waves.

Surprising everyone, the Unknown indeed halted all his movement, focusing on the echoes instead. All attacks stopped and every units stayed still in the air. Soft blinking light in the center of their cybernetic body indicated the tranquil resonance that was emitted.

_-It works..?-_

Yuri found it was hard to believe it himself. They just stared at each other without actually doing anything for once, that was until the moment of unintended lightning strikes rained down on them due to the uncontrolled or failure to manipulate the atmospheric condition. Even Unknown himself did not predict this as he looked surprised.

Thus, in response to Theta units' finding report, all machina immediately escaped the raining bolt by a hair's breadth, leading by the Alpha and flight somewhere far away from the affected area utilizing full speed of Avian Gear. Some of their state were noticed beyond repaired by the Sigma units. As a result, the cluster's damage hiked up significantly.

_-this calls for desperate measure-_

**-Viktor, I don't know what to do anymore. Everything he did is unpredictable...-**

**Don't give up yet, Yuri. Let's try thinking of something else, other methods...**

**-Ok... I'm listening.-**

**Now, as we know Tier 1 is a machina, did machina has any weakness, Yuri?**

There is a slight pause as Yuri was busy calculating various possibilities added with trying to comprehend what would be a weakness to machina. Plus, he was moving at supersonic speed as they were discussing.

**-I don't know if this help, Viktor, but machina is quick to learn and improve, so you could say weakness is nonexistent.-**

The enemy was of course, tailed them at a certain distance. It was unsure what his intention is, he could just bypass them within seconds, yet he did not.

**Then, try to think of other things. It could be anything! Not necessarily a move or attack... Any differences...**

**-...The only differences I notice is he is deformed, I sense he is not a pure machina, a mix of many living elements.-**

It was true. Yuri detected all other tiers' elements within him. It made no sense of how and why he did that. He failed to understand it, to understand him.

**Okay, I noticed that.**

**-He's not linked to the arsenal, because he's an enemy.-**

**Alright, that's obvious. Anything else, Yuri?**

**-And that's it. Other than that, we are just machina basically. Unless...-**

_-It couldn't possibly be- but then, it's not a difference...-_

**Unless?**

Viktor insisted in his head. Yuri kind of sensed that Viktor knew he was hiding something but brushed it aside and voiced his curiosity instead.

**-Viktor... is 'heart' a strength or weakness in this situation? That's another difference but that's- can I... use it against him?-**

The machina could literally hear his human sighed in his head before answering carefully.

**...Yuri, whether it's strength or weakness depends on the person, it's the most fragile yet it could be the strongest of all...**

**-Then how could I manipulate it so that I ca-**

**No, Yuri! Heart is not a weapon. It is to understand and to feel... don't try to manipulate it, you'll break yourself and others...**

Viktor cut him with his voice layered with clear warning, concerns, and fear of losing him. Yuri did expected it a little that Viktor would react like that, so he felt glad knowing that he cared.

But that just proved everything he had thought, that he was in denial.

**-Then, what should I do? I want to save everyone.-**

**There is only one thing left then, to trust your heart, Yuri. When things don't feel right or wrong, let your intuition decide.**

_-Viktor Nikiforov, just how much did you know?-_

**-what's intuition, Viktor?-**

_-How much are you willing to accept?-_

**To put it in your word, it's involuntary reasoning that ignore logic.**

_-Sounds like what heart would do after all.-_

**-and you have faith in only this?-**

**Yes...**

.

.

.

_Yuri, just who are you actually?_

_You are not just any Delta, right?_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Until next chapter... Thanks for reading! Have a great day/night!


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this chapter... is a mess. too much information, confusing/switching pov & scene (you have been warned). feel free to leave a review and enjoy reading this :)

 .

_**"trust your heart, Yuri. When things don't feel right or wrong, let your intuition decide."** _

.

- _Trust my heart? How?-_

_-What's my heart anticipated the most?-_

_-To not fail again-_

_-Fail and it means death to humanity-_

_-And then, machina would perish too as we are all man-made-_

_-So I cannot fail,-_

_-Human must exist for machina to exist-_

_-I cannot fail and let human die-_

_-I cannot let viktor die! Viktor is human-_

_-No humans means no Viktor-_

_-No Viktor means no heart!-_

_-If there's no heart then! I will-_

**Yuri you're panicking again! You're thinking too much, that's not how intuition works.**

Viktor's concerned voice interrupted his millions thought of 'what if'. The scientist was as worried as him but on a different matter. He worried about the machina, about him rather than the lives of millions of human. This difference did not make the situation any easier.

**-Viktor, I'm worried... I didn't even complete the heart program-**

**Completed or not, I will always be there for you, Yuri...**

Viktor comforted him, trying to lessen the stress that the machina experienced which he could feel it too. He breathed calmly as to resonate the positive energy to Yuri, so that he would remain calm and collected too.

In the middle of escaping, the stray machina seemed to have enough as he reappeared in front of them instantly using similar move to Meta Shift that the cluster had no choice but to halt immediately too. They could not simply pass and ignore him when he finally decided to speak to them for the first time.

-You know it's futile. I want to talk to the Prime.- The voice was lost among the layers of distorted noise which made his word barely recognizable.

As the stray machina told with such arrogance, it was machina number Tc0107d42m3 who responded accordingly.

-Request denied. You intend to destroy it earlier. Aus- the considerably young machina said with such a determination.

Even the Alpha unit was still debating as both Delta's result were contradicted to each other. One said to ignore him and use any means to attack while the other said to acknowledge him and if could, form a mean of communication. Alas, it was the former that reacted like the latter suggested while he was busy running overdrive analysis about something unnecessary for the cluster at the moment.

**-But I cannot fail again this time, Viktor. If humans die, machina will cease to exist... If you die I will cease to exist!-**

-I do not wish to speak to a mere Delta.- The Tier 1 dismissed the second analysis unit. Hovering very high in the air, he did not let the cluster run away any further. The cluster also smart enough to not provoke him but they stayed on guard all the time, anticipating the others.

_-Tc2011t637h8: target denied [Tc0107d42m3]. Aus-_

_-Tc1892s413o31: [update] cluster status: 18% of permanent damage [core reform required]. Other damage: full recovery [ready to engage]. Aus-_

_-Tc0107d42m3: situation analyze result: [suggestion] all 87 affected units either serve as DX 0.8.1 [Destructive Defense Strategy] or send to Operation Base for RE:gen [Specialized Recovery: Core Reformation]. Aus-_

-Prime, come forward or I'll have my way through your Alpha.- the stray machina voiced again. Glowing eyes scanned the cluster for any particular move.

What was he going to do with the Alpha unit? Destroy him? Capture him? Convert him into an ally?

_-Tc7120t015g4: [Alert!] Target proposed a threat. Aus-_

_._

_._

_._

_-...why are you doing this... You should not be like this...-_

_-You should be like us...-_

_-Like me.-_

Now that he had a mechanical heart, looking straight at the fellow strange machina, Yuri felt like crying as he was staring at the solid proof of his failure and he cannot help but blamed himself. Sadness, guilt, self-hatred, worry, fear all swirling inside him, almost drowning both of the connected souls until the other mate pulled himself out of the negativity.

**Listen to me! Yuri, you are the greatest machina. You had successfully saved us back then, and I believe you can do it again.**

**You are not a failure, Yuri. Those billions of death isn't your fault. Don't let it haunt you. If you didn't do anything at that time, we won't be standing here!**

The silver haired assured Yuri again and again. Yuri cannot give up or worry too much either. The things that he worried was holding him back. His past was holding him back. His machina was so afraid that even he could feel it.

Fear of losing, Fear of failing.

Viktor was so absorbed in his head. The tense in the Control Room no longer affected him. He did not even bother to find an empty chair to sit and just standing there leaning by the wall amidst the buzzing room. His eyes did not even followed any movement of people walking across him but just fixed onto the wide screen at the front displaying the live footage from the satellite.

Trying to lift up the spirit and motivate his machina, Viktor's expression softened as he reminisced that particular moment in which actually was a real horrendous disaster, but it appeared as a pleasant surprise to him.

The moment that brought them together in this world.

The moment of fate.

**And even if you did save everyone back then... how else could I have meet you, love...**

The ' _hitsuzen_ '

_-Viktor...-_

**-you... still remember?-**

* * *

**[flashback]**

Timeline: Year 2XXX [point of alterations]

This incident was not the last.

On the deserted area of the aftermath, the strange object of half machine and half human was still hovering around, examining the scale of disaster. The quick move that deflected the hit on the first version of Artificial Intelligence - High Performance Computing which was just officially launched along with the whole team that built it paid a great price.

A part of Russia was lost from the map.

The time that should be midday there was dark as the thick dull cloud that was formed from the blasts was covering the ray of light like a heavy blanket. The air was so dense with unnatural particles that even the lungs rejected to breathe in. The ground zero spread as vast as hundreds of kilometer. The attack successfully cleared everything that was in its way, buildings, animals, humans, plants all included.

Not even the evidence was left.

But the machina was still there, still exist.  _Still_ _exist_.

Then only he noticed or rather known why.

_{Error} discovery incomprehensible. [reanalyze] target: identified [human] Status: alive [multiple damage detected] Survival rate: 0%_

_{Error} irregular [require further analysis]_

Emerging from the pile of ruins was a pair of blue young human eyes that met with bright brown light pulse irises. The machina only recognized the familiar azure eyes, the figure was not appeared as human as he should be due to severe injuries.

If the he still exist, he knew he cannot escape this moment.

The ' _hitsuzen_ '.

_-He survived?-_

_-He must be sad, he looked sad.-_

But for the machina.

_-why...?-_

_{System} request: permission to run EI core program_

_{AI-HPC} permission result: rejected._

_{System} re-request: permission to run EI core program_

_{AI-HPC} permission result: rejected._

_{System} re-request: permission to run EI core program_

_{AI-HPC} permission result: rejected._

_{System} communication bypass: direct Lumen Arc [activate] let me access the program!_

_{AI-HPC} answer: negative [warning] prioritize main mission. Do not get caught up with past memories. You are now a machina unit._

_._

_-but, he is there...-_

.

The innocent young human was pity of the machina.

Because he saw a being far worse than himself. Even if he barely escaped death, his family died, his people died, his town was destroyed and he was hurt badly, yet among those unfortunate things, he saw a being, his eyes reflected the emptiest and loneliest of all. He did not belong here. He did not have anyone here. He was no one.

So no one will care for him.

"Don't worry, you're not alone..." the human said with cracked voice, throat parched with the unnoticed burnt air.

The machina registered it as shocked. Why is the human saying that to him? This is irregular. He should be angry, he should be hateful to the one who did this, to  _him_.

...yet he feel sad for him?

For machina that cause  _this_?

Yuri did not understand human at all.

.

_-I want to know...I want to feel again...-_

.

"We will be together from now and on, o...k..." that's all he said, small hands reaching out to the destructive machine before he passed out.

Of course the machina was there to catch him in time, to save him,

As that human is his creator.

.

.

.

_-Viktor, this time, I'll serve you again.-_

_-to serve as your masterpiece.-_

_-to the final purpose-_

* * *

**Of course I'm~ it's the moment we met.**

**-you are not mad...?-**

-Prime, respond. I'll give you five second- The Unknown still demanded to directly confront the Lumen Arc.

The Lumen Arc also did not give any direct command on how to handle this strange machina, either to give him the permission or to eliminate him.

As It did not give a clear answer, all the responsibilities were up to the two units of Delta, for them to analyze the situation, come out with possible solutions, and finally they could act on it.

**How could I be mad at someone who save me?**

-Refrain yourself. Warning: A threat towards machina means full force frontier. Aus- It was the Alpha this time that decided to give the clear reprimand towards the Unknown. All available machina was ready in their battle mode, waiting for Alpha's command to equip a specific Form to retaliate.

**-I still don't understand... I caused all of these, and you all suffered greatly... So, why didn't you hate me? Why didn't you punish me, destroy me-**

**Yuri-**

**-why did you still trust... and have so much faith in me?! A being who did not even have a real heart to understand all of this!...-**

**BECAUSE I LOVE YOU!...I love you... Yuri... I love you, with all my heart!**

**-Vitya...-**

**And I believe it's not only me, love... Lieutenant Yakov trust you... Chief Lilia trust you... Even Chris, Georgi, Minako too... Everyone have faith in you... Not a single person blame you for anything...**

-Four...- The Unknown still did not back down.

**So, please... Don't blame yourself anymore... You are not alone. We are together now...**

_._

_-together...-_

_-not alone...-_

_-love...-_

_._

_{System} performing thorough analysis..._

_._

[Love]

A single thing that answers everything.

In other word, it is also the cause of  _everything_.

The [cause] and the [answer]

It is the same.

Thus, the machina backtracked to the cause of this chained events, of why Unknown attacked in the first place. No matter how much Viktor convinced those unfortunate things were not his fault -and it was true in way, as Tier 1 started it first, he was the one who attacked humans and caused all the destructions- but one thing for sure, Yuri, as the future machina -who knew more than anyone- knew it was certainly his mistake to delay the moments. Why?

Because he was hesitant.

Because he could not bear it, to destroy something, someone who is similar to him, whom he can relate to. Both are machina, both are the same creation. Thus, to destroy [One] is like destroying himself too.

Now other machina might found this as weird logic. But that was because they did not understand, they did not know how it feels. But Yuri,

Yuri has a [heart] Yuri knew, Yuri  _feels_.

_'But he failed to understand'_

-Three...-

_{System} deduction result: [logic confirmed] affirmative._

_{System} new hypothesis: love in regards to persona, of how it correlates to machina [evaluate]_

The reason: he hesitated.

Hesitated yet determined to not let human die, to not let Viktor die. The reasons [rational] were Viktor is his creator [affirmative], [future] humans create machina [affirmative].

And Viktor loves him [confirmed].

Viktor loves him even he is not a real human and he did not have a real heart. Love between machina and persona? Insane. Clearly, both are different from each other just like the earth and the sky. But Viktor,

Viktor never give up on Yuri.

He even helped him to understand human, to understand the complexity of heart. He did not even expected Yuri to master it right away just as what a perfect analyze machine should and did not feel downbeat of it either. He knew that people think he is crazy because of this, he is crazy for thinking the relationship is possible, he  _knew_.

Yet he still pours his heart and soul into Yuri.

_-ah... So that's love...-_

_._

_{System} hypothesis result: complete [understanding achieved]_

_{System} saving analysis data and result... [Waiting for confirmation]_

.

[Unconditional Love] : A love that is so pure, that exist as a whole, love even beyond the boundary, always give and sacrifice for one's sake even expecting nothing. The highest form of love. Thus, at that moment, Yuri finally understand, and intended to do the same, to reciprocate Viktor's love.

To self sacrifice. To not calculated.

And feel the sensation all alone.

_{Alert!} AI-HPC: database updated [new data confirmed]_

-Two...- A particular spot in the Unknown's cybernetic hands was steadily glowing.

_{System} to AI-HPC [via SP Secure Link]: May I...?_

_{AI-HPC} to Tc2191d23k1 [via SP Secure Link]: Are you sure?_

_-_ One...- the center of his hand becoming so bright like a mini neutron stars.

_{System} to AI-HPC [via SP Secure Link]: Yes, I have made up my mind, and I'm fully aware of the consequences._

_{AI-HPC} to Tc2191d23k1 [via SP Secure Link]: Including yourself? How about your feelings?_

_{System} to AI-HPC [via SP Secure Link]: I wish to complete my EI final phase, even in this way. That is my purpose._

_{AI-HPC} to Tc2191d23k1 [via SP Secure Link]: Alright, We respect your decision._

-Time's up.- like a slow motion, the gulf of bright heavy mass consisted of cyber neurons was launched at the Alpha, which had been expected by the cluster -as they were ready to block it-

_[AI-HPC] request result: confirmed [permission granted]_

-but not this one.

* * *

**Yuri..?**

There was nothing that Viktor heard, no commands, no computing, not even his [HEART] analysis. Just like a hung up telephone line, not even the beeping sound resonated.

Nothing. Only a stagnant silence.

Viktor started to feel anxious.

* * *

_{System} REBOOT..._

_Kernel revert to main unit 'PRIME Unit'..._

_[Restricted Mode: OFF]_

_[full access: UNLOCKED]_

_[full authority: UNLOCKED]_

_[direct command] reroute to PRIME Unit..._

_{Alert!} AI-HPC/PRIME: Arsenal base temporarily switched from Cloud to PRIME [externally supported]_

_{Alert!} AI-HPC/PRIME: [direct command] Code [441] machina number Tc8432a91j4 [activate]_

Immediately, within split second, before the Neuron Bug even reached the Alpha, or even before the cluster could react to block it, the Command Unit of Terra Cluster shattered and turned into vaporized particles, leaving nothing behind.

It all happened within millisecond. The direct command was not even finished registered in the log when the leading unit completely gone. As it was Code 441: Unit Instant Termination, hence the cluster or machina did not question it any further as it was coming from the AI-HPC himself, from _Yuri_.

-Prime, did you missed your aim again?- The stray machina spoke to the very person he wanted to meet, the manifested Lumen Arc.

"That was not for you, One..." Yuri told calmly as he marched forward in the air, taking the Alpha's previous spot. His dark brown light irises were now had a hue of golden blue. "I just don't want you to reach the arsenal." He added with a sad smile.

* * *

"What is this?" Back in A115 at the Operation Base, Takeshi who was sitting in front of currently blank screen muttered under his breath. "What the heck is happening?" He scratched his head as suddenly, the Alpha unit of Terra Cluster was gone. Thus, all mean of communication from the base to the cluster were disconnected. He could not access the data anymore, there was nothing he could do.

"Sir, machina unit Tc8432a91j4 is gone. We did not even have a grasp of why it happened from any of the Delta, only Lumen Arc command log confirmed it." Yuuko reported to both Lieutenant General and General Machina.

"Communication status." Yakov asked worriedly.

"Total lost, Sir." Takeshi announced feeling dejected.

"Access to arsenal." The lieutenant commanded again.

"Sir, access is blocked, arsenal is no longer based on Cloud, definite base: unknown, unable to detect." The other staff stated in full report.

**Yuri... Yuri...? What is happening? Why I couldn't hear anything from you? Yuri, are you okay...?**

Viktor asked anxiously towards his love, as all he knew was the machina system was a total blank, feeling nothing at all but overwhelmed determination and love towards him, plus a sudden throbbing feeling in his head that was steadily growing.

**-Vitya, I'm sorry. This gonna hurt you but I still need you. I promise I'll end it quickly.-**

Then he slowly walked to the center of the control room slightly soothing his headache, azure eyes went wide at all the blank buzzing screens except one that showing the satellite image; the first Delta unit with a slight different appearance as his eyes had a different hue to it and he emitted a faint golden blue halo surrounding him. Yuri was looking so calm. Stress, worries, anxiety, nothing expressed from him. All he showed was a small sad smile he gave to the stray machina.

As Yakov also had no idea what was happening actually, he turned to the General, expecting some sort of an answer. The machina laR041g5067c1 just nodded and announced,

-Lumen Arc have decided. He take full control from here, no interruption or anything. Aus-

**Yuratchka, what are you planning? I couldn't know what you are thinking anymore, love... Please, tell me...**

"So, we really couldn't do anything at all..." Yakov finally realized and clenched his fist.

* * *

-You still don't want to accept me... Because I'm broken...- the stray machina, One said with such a sad voice, his mismatched eyes reflected the same feeling.

"No, you don't understand. You're unique." Yuri denied, trying to reason with One. All other machina stayed unmove. They did not interrupt as Yuri came forward to speak to the enemy naturally, without any hostility present between them. Thus, they just waited for command coming from him.

_{Alert!} AI-HPC/PRIME: [new command] Exa Cluster, Lito Cluster, abort all missions. Depart to Area 66 immediately._

_{System} direct command: verified [departing to the area]_

-Then why did you exile me?! And leaving me alone?! You should have destroyed me at once!- One responded and was practically screaming at him with pure anger and disappointment.

Yuri remained silence, eyes never leaving his creation.  _His_.

-And look what you have caused, all I have been doing is one thing that you couldn't do.- One pointed his cybernetic finger towards Yuri in annoyance. His voice no longer had the layered noise as he resumed to original standard machina.

"Destroy Us, destroy me... and you will perish too..." Yuri said clearly, hoping he would understand.

-THAT'S WHAT I WANT! And it would solve all this problem from the start! Why do bother stopping me? Why don't you do what you have to do!?- the stray machina let out all his emotions. He was no longer a threat to Yuri, he was just like a child, yelling what's wrong with what he did.

"I know... I should've known better to understand you... I'm sorry..." Yuri's eyes cast downward in apology, even if it was not something that easily forgiven. His right hand tried to reach for the machina in front of him.

-You doubted, you delayed, you are running from doing it  _twice_. It's because of him, right?- One said with a sharp glare, making Yuri halted his moved as he was taken aback.

As his hand was mid air, suddenly the golden device on his finger became his sole focus for a few moment.

* * *

Viktor was torn between keeping his eyes open to stare at the screen or to keep them shut to lessen the spinning sensation. The migraine he felt was becoming stronger, pounding at his head like a real hammer. Then only he realized why when he connected the dots of current situation and what Yuri had just told him.

His brain was the platform of the communication.

That explained the numerous system computing and commands flashing in his head that he did not have a tiny grasp of it -he dare not to as it was just adding more headache to understand it- as he only focus was Yuri, the currently most serene state [computing] ever.

As they were still connected by the device, he could still hear and understand everything coming from Yuri. But all of the information were very new to him.

_Yuri is the AI-HPC? The Lumen Arc?_

_One..? Destroy? Exile?_

_Who or what Yuri had been running from?_

**Yuri... Are you going to explain to me..?**

Viktor was pleading to him as he was ignored for the past few seconds.

Suddenly, the mechanical door to the control room was slid open and several footsteps rushed inside and one of them moved close to him. He cannot guess who as his head was so full and in pain right now. That was until a gentle tap on his shoulder and familiar voice asked in worried.

"Viktor are you okay? Why did you run like a mad back then?" A blurred blonde figure with white lab coat was standing beside him.

"Chris?" Viktor barely recognized him even when he was squinting as he turned to look. His vision was becoming blurry due to the throbbing pain inside his skull.

"Lieutenant Yakov, what is happening? I could not access to the Lumen Arc or the arsenal while doing my job." The stern voice he recognized, Lilia, asked to the second in command. She might have came along with them as she has the access.

"Huh, all the monitors are blank here too?" Minako's voice asked in suspicious.

"This is weird. The machinas were linked but I also couldn't access." Georgi who Viktor assumed was beside Minako voiced his concern.

**-Viktor... what's unconditional love to you?-**

"Viktor, do you hear me?" Then he realized Chris was waving in front of his face.

"Ah uh... Chris..." Viktor took his time to collect himself before he continued with closed eyes. "Could you find me a seat? I don't think I can stand any longer..."

**Huh?**

Chris quickly looked around until Georgi passed the empty chair in front of him and nodded to him. He gladly took it and let Viktor sit slowly. From the moment he ran towards the room until now, he noticed Viktor did not look like himself at all as he became paler. Thus, he suspected something really big was happening that had this effect on him.

The Lieutenant exhaled a soundless sigh and he explained the dreadful situation. "All means of communication are cut. Lumen Arc take full control. So, we cannot do anything at the moment."

Everyone arrived gasped or widened their eyes in shocked.

"What..."

"Why so suddenly..."

"What is happening out there..?"

All questions were thrown at once. However, only silence and images on the single screen became the available answer.

**-because I finally understand... what it is to me...-**

Meanwhile, Viktor was busy rummaged the desk in search of something -a pen and few paper sheets- and started writing immediately after he grabbed them.

**Why are you... suddenly saying this...**

Chris who was by his side noticed and asked in curiosity. Viktor struggled as he answered between his mild coughing, "Yuri... and I... are one mind... I know what... is... happening...". His hands never stop moving and scribing what could be the command and systems logs.

And the coughing fit started. as he covered his mouth with his other hand, he could smell blood.

* * *

**-thanks to you, I finally understand yet... It's too late.-**

**What do you mean? You are scaring me, Yuri...**

"That is- it was- why... couldn't you realize..." Yuri was actually stuttering as he begged One to have a second thought on this. Yes, it is true... But the way he understood was a misconception.

**-it's too late... because I couldn't convey it properly to One...-**

_{System} reaching Area 66 in 10 seconds..._

_{Alert!] AI-HPC/PRIME: [command] machina number Tc0107d42m3, Tc1892s413o31, Tc2011t637h8 leave this area perimeter of 3000km_

_{System} Tc0107d42m3: command verified [departing right away...]_

_{System} Tc1892s413o31: command verified [departing right away...]_

_{System} Tc2011t637h8: command verified [departing right away...]_

_{System} Ec5747a37x2: Exa Cluster arrived on site._

_{System} Lc8283a686z0: Lito Cluster arrived on site._

**But why? Why would you?**

**-Because he is the same as me. I want him to know, to feel, to understand. Because I love him...-**

-What else do you want me to realize? That you want to live in your memories for eternity?- All that One had said had been the truth. -Yuri,- he used his name, -we are an EI, you made me as an EI unit. We have definite purpose, definite life span.-

**-I love him like how a mother love her child... He is my creation, Viktor, my masterpiece...-**

**Yuri...**

_-so, he knew, he understands it after all...-_

-For the third time... what would make this a different?- One asked in challenge. He also seemed to notice the arrival of two more clusters circling the area, while the three unit escaped.

After hearing what he thought, Yuri found the courage at last. He found the courage in Viktor's love for him, and also in One's  _love_  for him too.

_{Alert!} AI-HPC/PRIME: [command] Terra Cluster, Exa Cluster, Lito Cluster, form Concentrated Elysian Shield Inverto [full capacity- Inverted Divine Protection] radius: 800km [triple layered]_

_{Alert!} AI-HPC/PRIME: activating SP move: Eras Littera [Almighty Script: Obliterate] countdown t-minus: 180 seconds_

Thus, he gave his final command.

"I'll take full responsibility of you, of everything. Come One, let's us end this once and for all..."

**YURI..! NO!**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TBC
> 
> hitsuzen- the predetermined event that bound to happen no matter what (or so)
> 
> the finale is here... so, how is it? too much? cliche? 
> 
> Thanks for reading! Kudos! Bookmarks! And all the support! Good day/night! Aus-


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> brace yourself for the feels... I PROMISED THIS IS GOING TO END WELL.
> 
> pre-finale now begin~ enjoy!
> 
> .

 

_**Eras Littera [Almighty Script: Obliterate]** _

_**"let's us end this once and for all..."** _

.

No... no way...

_No!_

_Yuri!_

"Oh my god! Viktor, you're bleeding!" Minako's panic voice barely registered in his head.

"Viktor! What is happening to you?!" Chris exclaimed as he pushed away the blood smudged hand as he checked on him.

Chris saw Viktor's pupils dilated, his eyes did not even focus on anything but his right hand still continued writing. He was bleeding from his mouth and noticed his breathing becoming shallow. Minako tried to sooth Viktor's back from whatever pain Viktor was suffering while Georgi contacted the medical team, informing the situation.

"Yu...ri... don't... why..." Viktor muttered weakly.

As Chief Lilia walked closer, she stared at what Viktor had been scribing. At mere first glance, she already knew what it was as she took the other papers that were completed, skimming through it, she widened her eyes, and called to the second in command, "Yakov, you must see this."

Yakov rushed to her and read the papers. Flipping through it, he gasped soundlessly. He darted his gaze to the General who seemed to already knew what was happening. "Is there really no other way?! Cancel the command or anything!" He asked desperately.

The General only shook his head solemnly. -that's what he decided. Aus-

"Is it necessary... to sacrifice himself..." Yakov muttered dejectedly. It finally downed to him that they were losing the most important unit -Yuri- or maybe even _more_.

Lilia put his hand on Yakov's shoulder as she also shook her head slowly. "At this rate, I'm not sure if half of the mega cluster could come back..."

They all looked at the satellite image that was still functioning, showing all machina in the mega cluster forming triple huge circles while some of them prepared the light-derived long ancient script on the ground. All they could do was silently prayed that everything went well. They could not ask for more as they knew what was about to happened.

**Yuri... Please don't do this... There must be other way!**

**-There is no other way, Viktor. I should have done this way earlier to avoid all these unfortunate events.-**

"Viktor, let's stop this... Don't push yourself anymore..." Georgi pleaded at him. He could not stand seeing his friend suffered so much, coughing in blood and writing at the same time.

Viktor did not respond. He only saw Viktor's eyes glistering in tears as it cascaded down his face, not sure if it was really from the pain or something else.

**You promised me that you'll come back! Why are you sacrificing yourself?! Why are you doing this!**

"Viktor? Viktor!" Chris was shaking his shoulders as the man did not give any reaction, he feared something had damage his brain.

To be told the truth, at that point, Viktor could not hear anymore... The high pitch ringing in his head blocked every sound, and he could hardly see. Allowing his brain to be used as the temporary arsenal deal a lot of neuro damage. The part of the brain that supposed to maintain his body, his sense was fading due to nerve-consuming inter communication of the machines.

Despite all of that. Viktor still willing to do it, to hold on to Yuri.

**-Because I love you, Viktor... I want you to live.-**

**Yuri, if you love me you _Must_. Survive. And. Come. Back!**

Now he could not feel his legs. His waist and below felt numb like he had nothing at all, feeling drowned as he could only hear his irregular heartbeat and Yuri.

**-I'm sorry, Viktor. I couldn't do that... I cannot run away anymore, I don't want to... I have to face him and settle everything for once. I don't want to cause more death...-**

"Viktor, Stop! Take off the ring!" Minako warned as she had enough seeing him in pain and she proceeded to grab his hand to reach for the device.

**Yuri... You'll be gone...! I don't want that...!**

In reflex, Viktor pushed away, "Don't... Yuri... Need... Me.." He said faintly audible while was sobbing.

**-...it's okay, Viktor. You can start it all over again... Create another machina... Run the heart program... And eventually you will fall in-**

**NO! No! no... I don't want that! I WANT YOU! YURI! Only you!**

"Yuri... I want... Yuri... Only him... Yuri..." Holding his head, he chanted over and over, calling to him, despite the dripping blood from his mouth and nose and his tears also never stop.

Everyone were so shocked seeing his hysterical state. Thus, immediately Lilia shouted an order as they all too surprised to move, "take him to the medic now!"

Chris was the first to react and hauled Viktor over his shoulder and let Georgi help him too.He saw Viktor was already half unconscious. "Viktor, you can do this! Stay together!" He said desperately to his best friend.

"Take the emergency pod! Go straight to the CCU, it will reach there in a minute." Yakov added an instruction.

Quickly Minako accessed the pod that was prepared in the A115 at one side. The staff all moved aside giving them more space. After setting the destination on the navigation and then the stretches, she said in a haste, "quick! Lay him here!"

Chris and Georgi did as told. The door closed automatically as they entered. Then, it detached from the room, hovering and moving at its maximum speed to get to the place which was on the other side of the Operation Base.

Lying almost lifeless on the streches, his friends kept talking to him, to keep what little conscious he had, to not let him die. As Minako put over the oxygen mask, they noticed, even if no sound was heard from his lips, he was still saying, calling for one person.

Yuri...

_Yuri._

**_Yuri._ **

**_._ **

* * *

.

_{Alert!] System: Eras Littera status: 97% complete_

_{Alert!] System: Elysian Shield Inverto status: 100% complete [maintain by 3 clusters]_

Yuri opened his dark brown light irises, meeting with the mismatched one. The golden blue hue was still there reflecting in his eyes, making him look regal added with the beautiful halo surrounding him.

He saw One did not make any move either, as he was also waiting for this, waiting so calm like him. "...you do want this... as your final purpose..." He barely mumbled as he realized.

A short silence.

-You are my 'final purpose', Yuri.- One calmly answered.

Yuri smiled. _Of course._

_{Alert!} System: AI-HPC data update > Special Unit [EI] > One (MIA) > status update: mission complete [verified by PRIME]_

They both just watched the other machina completed their task. Once all three layers of protection were formed shielding like a colossal dome and the long script of ideograms which was written on the ground in the shape of a huge magic circles of light completed, then only the other machina stayed beyond the ground zero, leaving only the two hovering in the air.

Yuri raised his right hand to his lips, placing a kiss softly on the gold device, praying for his mate to hold on just a little while. As he moved his right hand over his chest, his kernel, Yuri motioned his left hand upward slowly, and the light script also moved along, lifting on the air. Then, he closed his left fist, and the script followed as it became smaller and heavily concentrated as it circled around the two of them only in all direction, forming a light globe.

**-Vitya..,**

**I love you so much. Please forgive me...**

**For hurting you.., for doing this to you...**

**I love you with all my heart you gave me, with all my existence...**

**I hope you'll find your happiness again...**

**Farewell, Viktor... I love you-**

Unexpectedly, warm liquids formed on his beautiful eyes in response of how full, how heavy his heart felt plus with all of Viktor's feeling and emotions. The tears, they were flowing down his cheek steadily. Never in a history, a robot could cry... a machina nonetheless.

Despite that, he continued and recited the words.

"Upon the powerful force, that bestowed this gift as a prayer, I wish to cast obliterate on the one I deem deserved, with my existence as the price, for my intention is to allow humanity to survive..." He closed his teary eyes and said the last words,

" _Kun Eras Littera.._."

Thus, the light started to blind both of them.

.

* * *

.

**No! Yuriii!**

_Yuri..._

_you gave me... no choice..._

_I don't want to do this..._

_I don't want to do this to you, Yuri..._

 

As Viktor was still lying on the bed while the medic team examined him, the panic in the CCU room did not cross his mind at all as everything became so slow, soundless and hazy... But he could hear his slow heartbeat one by one with a long pause between each somehow.

With little conscious left, he uttered a soundless command, the last one-

.

'Overwrite Authority... Code [2512]... Activate Last Script: E11 unit: PRIME...'

-before he closed his eyes completely and surrendered himself to the darkness.

.

.

.

* * *

.

_{Alert!} System: Last Script [E11] activated!_

_-what?!-_

_{Alert!} [ERROR] script clashed with EI core program [not compatible]_

.

**-Viktor, what is this...-**

There was no respond.

.

_{Alert!} [ERROR] script overwrite final phase [warning] final phase could not fulfill [data unmatched]_

_{Alert!} [ERROR] EI final phase not functioning_

_{Alert!} HEART: [warning] script attached with new input [Fear of Death]_

_._

_-this feelings!-_

**-Viktor!-**

.

_{Alert!} HEART: analyze new input..._

_{Alert!} HEART: ERROR: [Fear of Death] overwrite EI final purpose._

.

The new foreign feelings seeped through his entire cybernetic body, causing Yuri to tremble. Suddenly, the thought of vanish surged a lot of regret, he could not be with viktor, there is no more trace of his existence after this, not even memories, as if he didn't exist and what is after that? Nobody tell him what happened after that, does heaven or hell exist in their term? Or would he turned to dust? but since he would cease to exist, then into nothingness?

To exist like this, experience various things only to be nothing at all...

This is the first in the entire universe for a machina to have the feeling fear of death.

_-No... no! I could not leave like this...-_

_-I cannot disappear!-_

**-Vitya!-**

_-how... I must do something!-_

_[Alert!] System: in respond to HEART [reflex action] new mission: retain existence [ALL CAUSE ALLOWED]_

_{Alert!} System: [reflex action] result: C-NEO activated!_

As both Eras Littera and C-NEO happened simultaneously at the moment the command registered in the log, hence the C-NEO [Immunity Granted: Neutrality] only affected the area closest to the kernel due to last second activation.

And everything else completely gone.

.

.

.

* * *

Dark. Darkness. Beeping sound.

Numb.

.

.

.

The silver haired scientist started to notice everything very slowly.

_Wake up..._

His brain conscious demanded.

_Huh..._

_Why... Should I..._

_If I awake... All I feel is pain..._

He tried to resume to his eternal slumber.

_What pain?_

Pain... Pain... There was no more pain. He noticed.

Ever so slowly, the man forced his heavy eyelid to open, only to close it a few times to adjust to the light. It was straining his eyes even to just keep it open.

_Where am I?_

_How long I have been here?_

_Where is he?_

_He...? He... Who...?_

_Wait, what is... my name again...?_

All lot of things started to run on his thought. His memories were now in a jumble mess.

Then, the medic team came in and examined him, trying to get his attention. Their faces were still blurry. But they seemed to be good seeing him finally awake. After they monitored his health and discussed among them, one of them asked if he would like to meet someone. But seeing no respond from him, they decided to let him rest first. After all, there was a lot to take in.

So, he decided to continue to sleep, seeing nothing he could do as he only able to feel half of his body. But then, someone came in as he heard the door to his room opened followed by a few footsteps.

The person stayed still, probably watching him. The next moment he heard his deep worried and half joking voice, "how long are you going to sleep, Viktor. Just wake up already."

_Oh, the name is Viktor. My name._

"There is a tonne of work and you just chill here, seriously?" He heard him sighed. "Just wake your ass up before the day. You sure don't want to miss that right?" He added.

_Day? What day?_

He opened his eyes slowly. The blonde figure still blurry but not as much as earlier.

"Oh, there you are. I thought you would pretend to sleep like forever." He heard him said in relief.

The silver haired was about to say something but realized no voice came out. He mouthed again slowly. The person who he assumed was staring hard at him seemed to get it as he moved around to get something.

Water. He needed water.

"Here." He said, placing the cup near his lips after removing the oxygen mask gently.

Viktor took a few long sip, feeling the fluid flowing down his parched throat. Then he stopped after he drink only a quarter of it. He tried to breathe normally, as he did not want to depend on the oxygen mask. He arranged the word in his head before asking with raspy voice, "how... long... I... have been... He re... can't... remember... much..."

The blonde man who was sitting at the end of the bed let out a relief sigh, probably feeling good hearing his best friend talked for the first time since he asleep. "Take it easy, Viktor. You have been in coma for a month. But you recovered very well."

_A month?_

_How did I get like this again?_

"Rest well, Viktor. They wouldn't allow you do much work if you come back right away either. But, I'll let the rest know, they must be happy hearing that you have awake." The man smiled at him. Slowly, his azure eyes can make shape of things he was seeing, indicating his sight was recoveriing.

.

* * *

.

A few days passed and Viktor could finally fathom a few things. His sight was better, he could see clearly. He could move his hands and upper body but his legs... he need rehabilitation for a few more days on that. He was feeling positive even if his memories still a messed.

He knew he is a scientist programmer, he works here. He was in comatose for a month due to brain injury and internal bleeding but he was recovering very well -thanks to the technology. But what he did not understand was that he finally noticed the gold thing on his ring finger on his right. He asked everyone, Chris, Georgi, Minako, even Chief Lilia but they all debating to answered it.

Today again, they came to visit him doing the rehabilitation process. He still insisted on the question.

"Pleaseee, tell me who is my lover? Who is the other one wearing this Soul System device? Why I can't access to the memories? Oh my god, did he took it off? Did we break up?! Is that why I tried to kill myself-"

"Ugh, Viktor stop! We couldn't answered all at once." Minako was glaring at him for his side.

"...You guys won't answer one either..." Viktor complained while he was doing his rehabilitation for his legs. It less wobbly and he could stand and slowly walking too.

"That's because we thought it's better if you figure it out yourself." Georgi said while watching him walking along the bar.

"Yeah, that's the fun in it!" Chris added, patting his back. "Don't worry, you'll know once you walk out of this room... Of this facility... " he said dramatically.

Viktor raised an eyebrow, "he's just out there?" Chris only blinked. "Fine, I'm going to do just that!" He had enough of them as he proceed to walk beyond the linear bar towards the exit.

"Viktor, wait!" Georgi frowned as he saw him walked away in determination despite his conditions.

"Viktor, get your ass back here and complete the damn rehab!" He heard Minako was yelling from inside the room but just ignored it.

Not for too long anyway, he barely made it out there.

.

* * *

.

This is it. This is the moment he would know.

A few weeks passed and he had completely recovered! His brain's state is okay -minus his hazy memories on his soulmate- he could walk normally and now he returned to his facility; the Machina Rehabilitation and Core Reformation Center.

And his first task was placed on his desk by the General himself. Chief Lilia only stood behind the machina and just watched.

-This is the only thing left from the First Delta unit of Terra Cluster. Aus- The General said revealing a fragile kernel in the form of blue light nerve prism inside a safe translucent hexagonal globe.

Viktor started to feel weary about this.

"Pardon me, Sir. But why are you giving me this? Isn't all data is to be kept or returned to the Lumen Arc?" He voiced his curiosity.

-Indeed. But the Lumen Arc decided that you should keep this part to yourself, it's yours. Do what you deem is right to it, Lumen Arc gave full permission. Aus- The General said before leaving both of them with the core.

Viktor was still in puzzled. "Lilia, I'm not sure what I'm suppose to do with this." He said to the chief scientist, looking back and forth between the shining object and her.

"Seeing him gave it to you firsthand, it must be very important. So, you have to do something with it." She said, shifting her gaze from the kernel to Viktor.

"Yeah, but what exactly... wait-" as Viktor noticed something on the object, he halted mid sentence and bring the globe close to his eyes to stare at it clearly. He widened his azure eyes when he confirmed it and stared in disbelieve back and forth between the kernel on his left and the device on his right.

The ring, the other pair,

is inside the kernel, inside the First Delta core.

"Lilia, what's the meaning of this?! I don't understand..." Viktor asked in shocked at what he had just discovered. Did he just formed the bond, using the Soul System device,

with a machina?

"Now that you have realized, I take it you still don't fully remembered." Chief Lilia nodded to herself before continued, "look up to your past project, the one that you have been developing until the recent one, about what actually happened during the final war before you collapse in coma. I think that's enough to tell you everything." She explained in long sentences. Before she left the room, she said one more thing, "my advice is to move on... I know it's hard, but try look forward to the day that he gave to all of us as a present."

The room became silent once the automatic door slid closed.

_Past project... Developing something... The day..._

Viktor only knew they were about to celebrate an important day in history but nothing speak to him of the former one. Thus he rushed to his monitor, placed the globe safely beside it and opened the file to this previous work.

Machina system, core structure, sample issues, nothing triggered him. He scrolled downwards until the end of the hundreds of files. The last one written in capital case intrigued him. It was the latest.

[HEART]

He clicked on the file, feeling nervous as he stole a glance to the beautiful fragile kernel beside the monitor. _Is it related?_  As the data revealed on the screen, there were tonnes of information but the overall status was still labeled incomplete.

Project: Human Emotions Analyze and Replication Tensor

Subject: Machina number Tc2191d23k1

Details:

\- First Delta of Terra Cluster

\- Origin: Unknown [ not from this era (suspected future machina, unknown timeline) ]

\- Armaments: ... Database:... Analysis:... ...

\- other position: [classified]

Result: subject approved by Lumen Arc [special privilege code awarded]

Code [2512] -access to authority, security, systems,...

Project objectives: to enable machina feel emotion, replicate emotions behavior, facial, body language, to ensure machina understand the concept of each feelings and emotions, ... ...

P.S: to make machina (Yuri) fall in love (with me!)

_What? Did I really write that?!_  Viktor widened his eyes at the last note.  _Wait..._

_Yuri...Yuri._

_Yuri!_

"It's Yuri! My... love..." Viktor muttered as the dots of scattered memories finally connected.

.

.

.

[flashback]

.

_"First trial run of [HEART]. Alright Yuri, how are you feeling?"_

_-systems working perfectly. Aus-_

_"Hm... try to respond... humanlike, with feelings..."_

_"...like how...?" The machina tilted his head like in confused._

_"...okay... That's a good start!" A small smile crept on Viktor's face._

_._

_._

_._

_...during a facial form recognition: micro emotions test:_

_"Yuri, what is this?"_

_"Happy."_

_"And this?"_

_"Angry..."_

_"And this?"_

_"...shocked. Is it shocked?" Yuri looked back at him from the screen for confirmation._

_"Yep, shocked, surprised. You are doing very good! Yuri!"_

_"Viktor... right now... you are feeling... happy?" The machina looked to the human who was hugging him by his side._

_"Yes! Of course~"_

_"How many form of happy do human have?"_

_"Yuri~ do you want to learn about me~?" Viktor grinned in delight._

_._

_._

_._

_...back on Continental Spacecraft, his first return after six months of relentless battle._

_"Yuri! Yuri... You are finally back! You are really back."_

_"I survive, Vitya... Don't worry." The machina calmly returned the hug, attempt to comfort the worried sick human._

_"Aw~ Yuri, you finally use the name! You make me happy!" And suddenly like that, the human's mood change. This is very confusing but he tried to adapt._

_"That's because... you said you like it..."_

_"Then, let me call you Yuratchka from now and on as you call me Vitya~" his human grinned happily._

_"... They will confuse." Sometimes, he don't understand him at all. [Error]_

_Despite that, his [heart] registered it as 'affectionate' [love]_

 

_._

_._

_._

_"Viktor, my next mission is on the land. Are you sure that I should run it during the battle?" Yuri gazed from the hands that had been holding his to the pair of beautiful azure eyes._

_"See it as a test, an analysis, of how you interpret everything during the battle."_

_"You know it either could help or backfire. Are you sure?" He asked again._

_"We wouldn't know if we didn't try... I'm sure you can handle everything, Yuri. I believe in you." Viktor placed a kiss on his temple, another affectionate gesture that he always did towards him._

_Again they parted, as he marched onwards with only a safe return as an unbreakable promise between them. Finally, humanity had secured a base here. Next mission: the whole planet._

_._

_._

_._

_"How is it?"_

_"Viktor, it's still not compatible, it set my system haywire."_

_._

_._

_._

_"Yuri... help me understand you... I love you, Yuri."_

_"I...love you too... Vitya..." Still in dazed by the kiss, he whispered to his ear, with all the warm fuzzy emotions -love- as Viktor was hugging him._

_"Yuri! Promise me you'll come back!" He saw tears in his human's eyes._

_This time... for real. I'll pray for you, Yuri. You must come back for me... Promise._

_._

_._

_._

_"Love... It's the most complex emotion, right? Can I feel love... Would you teach me about it?"_

_._

_._

_"Viktor I have a bad feeling about this surprise attack..."_

_._

_._

_"Viktor, I'm worried, I don't even complete the heart program."_

_"Complete or not, I'll always be there with you, Yuri"_

_._

_._

_._

_"You are not mad?"_

_"Why would I be mad at someone who saved me?"_

_._

_._

_._

_"BECAUSE I LOVE YOU!"_

_"Vitya..._

_Now I understand..."_

_._

_._

_._

_"Vitya, I'm sorry. This gonna hurt you..."_

_"Yuratchka, what are you planning?!"_

_"Farewell, Viktor. I love you."_

_"Yuri! No!"_

.

.

.

Everything.

He remembered everything. All those memories that came crashing on him caused his eyes watery again. Yuri...  _Where are you? I want to meet you!_

The globe came into view.

  _Oh..._  

Droplets of tears covered his eyes, when his eyes cannot contain it, it glide down his cheeks like a broken dam. "Yuri..." Viktor whispered weakly, hand trembling to reach it. He cradled it in his arms and hugged it closed to his body, trying not let the feelings escape. Only silence took pity on him as he sobbed alone, holding on to the 'heart' of the one he was yearning to hold the most.

After quite a long moment of sorrow grief, Viktor took a very deep breath while closing his eyes to make the tears stopped, to quell his feelings. He exhaled slowly and finally resolved to begin his work. Looking back at the globe in his arm, he said weakly, " 'Code [2512] Viktor... Nikiforov...' ".

The globe blinked once before opened up, exposing the kernel to the air. He placed the kernel gently on the scanning device and run a full analysis on the fragile core. Red light flashed as it was moving on the core. Simultaneously his monitor displayed the numerous data from the kernel.

Once the light reached the ring inside, the kernel started to crack.

"What..." Viktor looked in disbelieve. Yet, he could not do anything as he was torn between completing the task and keeping the kernel intact. If he interrupted the process, the data would be forever lost. Thus, he just watched in shocked as the kernel crumbled into tiny irreversible pieces, leaving only the device.

'Scanning complete'

'Synchronizing data...'

'Data synchronized'

'Project: [HEART] status: [complete]'

Viktor carefully took the ring and stared at it longingly as he kissed it.

_Yuri... I want you back..._

_I want you... No matter what._

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> so... how is it? feel free to leave a thought or how do you feel about it, about this theme... I hope you guys still enjoy it!
> 
> next chapter is the last... I hope it will make up for everything that happened throughout the story... as everything will be revealed in the last chapter...
> 
> thank you for reading, bookmarks, comments, kudos and all the support! Good day/night!
> 
> Aus-


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> the final chapter...and my favorite ending!
> 
> ...maybe prepare some tissue?
> 
> or cookies... I like cookies!
> 
> ok let's begin~  
> .

  
  
The staff in A115 room were busy working as always. It has been almost two months since the disastrous event. Terra Cluster was badly affected with just only three units survived, _three_. In fact, they were the only last witness -as they were directly connected with Prime and the cluster during the catastrophe- to confirm the event. The other two clusters also suffered damage but nothing serious or permanent as the shield sustained the impact. However, the first layer diffused along with the Terra Cluster, showing how immense the effect of Eras Littera that everything close to it also got destroyed, even if using the highest form of shield; the Divine Protection.  
  
Thank goodness there were 3 layers of them, or else humanity prone to have the same fate.  
  
Right after the disastrous incident, everything started to return to its original state. The arsenal's platform was switched back to Cloud and enabled the communication system to work properly. The Lumen Arc remained perfect as always -minus one intelligence-. The war with the other tiers also getting less intense as they did not really fight very offensive like before, perhaps due to the absence of the leader Tier 1. Thus, making the machina's job easier to exterminate them completely. It was decided that all machina which were lost during the incident were rebuilt again for new missions, new objectives as all the data still exist in the Lumen Arc, except one. Yuri.  
  
Speaking of him, right after he disappeared, the first command by the Lumen Arc was examined the ground zero. The task was given to the Audra Cluster as all the other clusters were called home for recovery. After what had been the hundredth times, they were about to conclude and report as total lost,

 

not even one real evidence, not a single survivor,

 

completely _nothing_.

 

As if everything did not happen in the first place. Nevertheless, the First Delta of Audra Cluster still asked for Lumen Arc’s permission to conduct TR-4 [Time Room] in order to know and finalize the report of what exactly happened even with the risk of him trapped in the time.  
  
Time Room is a complicated procedure and only done by the guided expert as it was very tricky. So far only one unit had done it numerous of times -or maybe just once but never leave- apart from the Lumen Arc, that was because the person was the Prime himself. Now, the second Yuri attempted to do the same.  
  
Why he had to go this far to confirm it? He didn't know. He is only a mere machina that was just following the order to complete the task perfectly without unnecessary reasoning to it -not that he understand it either-. Thus, as a dedicated peerless Delta unit, he executed the Time Room through each steps and every procedure. Then only being in the 'time', he was able to see everything that happened,

 _everything_.

To see that the First Delta of Terra- the Prime was not completely and entirely gone with C-NEO barely shielded the kernel and the device.  
  
After knowing the details and noted everything, he returned to the present once he was sure of the right timeline with the help of the Lumen Arc and went straight to the spot of where the core should be. With it safely secured in the hexagonal globe, he immediately brought it back to the base.  
  
As the kernel returned to the base, therefore it counted as four,

 

> _four units survive the incident,_

 

just like what Lumen Arc had originally calculated.

* * *

  
  
  
A certain someone busted into the Control Room, just like before. Even with slightly red eyes, he marched to face the General himself, ignoring all the looks on him from the staff and the Lieutenant. Determined azure eyes met with dark green light pulse. Viktor was about to open his mouth but the machina already beat him to that as _They_ already expected him to be here once his project was verified as complete.  
  
-Follow me. Aus- was all he said as he lead the way to the Lumen Arc.  
  
Without further questions, they both silently entered a special door at the Control Room. Inside it was an elevator with a unique security barrier that only allowed the General to interact. Once the elevator reached the top floor, the machina inserted a series of security code on the screen and told to Viktor, -You are all alone beyond this. They only want an audience with you. Aus-  
  
The elevator let out a _ding_ ! sound once before the door slid opened, revealing a short path that lead to another door. Once Viktor exhaled and stepped out of the elevator, the first door closed, leaving him alone as he walked to the second mechanical door.  
  
The moment the second door slid opened, he was presented with a magnificent sight of the materialized form that represent the Lumen Arc inside the humongous warmly illuminated vault. Right up ahead were billions of golden blue particles that emitted light which formed either a circle or semicircle of different sizes, that rotated each other at different speed. Some were very slow like hardly moving at all while other were faster, or even too fast until it appeared as a ring. It’s similar to the form of an atom, except this was very huge, bright, and breathtaking, yeah Viktor forgot to breathe at the monumental revelation.  
  
If this was just the represented Lumen Arc -a simpler materialized form for the ease of communication and data transmission between the original one- was this spectacular, the real thing that is out there high up in the distant space, must be shining majestically as the star of knowledge, looking out at everything. Every light particles held millions of information, including his love. Thus, as he came to the right place, he wasted no time in asking.  
  
"Give back... my Yuri..." His voice was hardly audible with the feeling of the lump in his throat. He begged at the majestic light being high up in front of him.

 

> _'Negative. Yuri is technically and physically gone.'_

 

He heard the Lumen Arc responded in a calm soothing voice that came from an orb of light.  
  
"Why... WHY DID YOU ALLOW HIM TO DISAPPEAR!?" He vented out loudly that his angry voice formed echoes inside the vault. "YURI...! Yuri... would never leave me..." His voice trembled as his eyes started to water again. _Not now..._

 

> _'We can reconstruct Yuri for you, but We need something that you hold, for Us to start to create.'_

 

The Lumen Arc answered. The light color shifted to cool blue, as if comforting him.  
  
"You _can't_ just create him! My Yuri is special. He has heart... I... create it... I. Create. _Him!"_ He paused for a few breathe before continued voice full of emotions, "with heart and soul... I... create him.. I GAVE IT ALL! Dammit! He has everything of me! Yet, He's gone!

 _He's gone... with everything..."_ Viktor clasped his mouth trying to stop himself from just wailing, mourning for him. His legs refused to stand to bear all heavy emotions as he slumped to the floor, fighting to admit the truth.

 

> _'Indeed. Yuri is a Prime after all. His default data and system are all here but not the 'heart'... not what makes him ’Yuri’, A Special Unit. A body without the soul is all We could have mustered.'_

 

The Lumen Arc only agreed to the truth. the one golden blue light orb was still free floating, being the medium for sound to transmit.  
  
"Why... Why didn't he take me along..." He asked to the Lumen Arc feeling remorse, hoping for an answer. "He should have take me too... and disappear with him, so I won't be in agony _like this...!_ " He clenched his fist on the ground, and on his chest, his _heart._

 

> ' _Maybe he thought that it is the best for you to live...'_

 

The light gave its answer, with the small one lowering to the ground as if looking at him.  
  
Staring with watery eyes at the collection of light, of intelligence, Viktor questioned, feeling so wretched, " _To live...?_ To keep on living feeling misery like this? Knowing that he can never returned?!"  
  
There was a pause, as if the collective intelligence debating on what to respond, what could be sufficient for him.  
  
Then, the Lumen Arc spoken again, careful with every words.

 

> _'You know...Yuri is in agony too, for millennia...'_

 

Viktor started to frown. "Why- what are you saying?!" _How is Yuri... in agony. I don't understand._

 

> _'You must be thinking a machina, a nonliving machine couldn't feel or have feelings right? It's true..._

> _But Yuri isn't originally a machina...'_

 

The light explained, voiced echoed in the closed room.  
  
"What..." Viktor was surprised at the new revelation as he lifted his gaze, following the light orb.

 

> _'Yuri is an Emotional Intelligence [EI], a brilliant creation to aid humans emotional need and support. He can recognize human's feelings and expressions and reciprocate them. That is an EI speciality and its sole purpose.'_

 

The Lumen Arc explained the truth.  
  
"that... sounds just like the HEART that I created..." Viktor was still half confused. Thanks to this new information, his tears all had stopped and feeling a little bit calm.

 

> _'Of course... In a parallel world, you are also the one who create EI, who create Yuri, so you are still his creator...'_

 

The Lumen Arc added.  
  
A parallel world, aka if all of these did not happened... a different future...  
  
"What actually happened then..." Viktor was very curious yet afraid to know as he was thinking the worst.

 

> _'He just happened to be in the same state as you're right now...'_

 

The Lumen Arc answered.  
  
His azure eyes widened. "Yuri... Lost me...? I die in a war?" He tried to asked.

 

> _'No... You die naturally of old age... The war did not happen. As machines don't die, you have made a program to let them self destruct once they have ended the service to their master, so that they didn't feel forever in pain of losing their love ones... That is the setting of final purpose of an EI'_

 

The Lumen Arc explained and paused to let Viktor coped with the information.  
  
Now Viktor realized the reason why the setting existed deep in Yuri's core, even though he was only registered as a battle machina at that moment. Still, Viktor did not touch that setting as he saw it was necessary once the HEART is completed.

 

> _'But Yuri, as the first unit of EI, We decided to take him in as a unique specimen to be analyzed, and let him continue to live… being one of Us...'_

 

The light spoken more of the harsh truth. The orb moved back closer to the huge materialized form.  
  
"You... let him live after that..?! In sorrowful and yearning for millennia you said..." Viktor gasped at the realization as he finally understand.

_No… Yuri..._

"He had been miserable... for that long?! Do you realized what you just did?!" Viktor voiced with outrage, feeling both furious and tormented. _The final purpose setting was there for a reason!_  
  
Even Viktor only created the one-time-only Last Script: E11 [Fear of Death] as a part of the HEART module that he would explain and teach to Yuri, but never, _never_ intend to use it at all as he knew it will contradict the EI core program.  
  
That's why he felt _so_ regretful activated it on Yuri, as he had no other _choice_ to stop Yuri from committing suicide, he still wanted Yuri to live. It was yet the time for his final purpose when Viktor was still breathing. But the Lumen Arc did just that without thinking of his feeling. _Yuri..._ Viktor was feeling even miserable for Yuri to have to go through all of that alone, lonely... and sad for _years_...

 _and years, for centuries... millennia_ .

 

> _'We apologize for the lack of understanding, as We; Lumen Arc are only a collective intelligence. Perhaps that's why he created One to accompany him, so he won't feel lonely as they are of the same kind.'_

 

The Lumen Arc apologized as it explained.  
  
"One... As in tier 1? The machina..." Viktor said to confirm. _One is a Special Unit too._

_Special to Yuri._

 

> _'Yes... With One being created, he thought he could fill his emptiness and lonely, for them to have a purpose for each other. Towards One, Yuri is everything. However, One absolutely despised humans for causing Yuri to be like this... making him feels all the bad emotions all alone, without anyone to comfort him._

> _That's why he also hate the fact that they are the only units different, he wanted to destroy all machina, including Us, because We, and the other units couldn't feel what they both feel...'_

 

The light told with unfaltering voice.  
  
"But you excommunicated him and cast him away didn't you..." He glared at the light, knowing exactly what happened from there.

 

> _'Indeed as We compared him to Yuri who didn't have that motives, We concluded that he was broken. He even fought with Us and should have been destroyed at once but Yuri kept him... He empathize of One who felt not belonged... Yuri tried to convince him, reason with him but it backfired…_

> _One became even more resolved... As ‘all is allowed in love and war’... and a war he sparked against humanity, in the name [form] of love [he believes] for Yuri.'_

 

The true story was finally unraveled by the collective artificial intelligences.

 

> _‘At this point, Yuri began to doubt himself, his belief, his understanding of feelings and emotions. He failed his one and only speciality, his sole purpose. Thus, until he was able to [re] analyze and find the true meaning, We locked his EI core program as he raced to save humanity,_

> _As a full fledged battle Machina.’_
> 
>  

"A failure..." _I_   _see, so that's what Yuri meant all this long._ He thought. "He couldn't understand him, to comfort him, and then the war happened… So, yuri blame himself... for _everything_ ..." Viktor mumbled what he finally realized as he connect the dots. Now it was all clear to him like a glass as he understood why it all happened, why Yuri did what he did. it was all a chain of causes and events.

 

> _'Yes… for One to become like that is the proof of his incompetence. We concluded that by disappearing, this is his way to amend his mistake.'_

 

The Lumen Arc said it at last.  
  
There was a long pause. Viktor was thinking very hard of everything that happened, of what he finally knew. "So what am I supposed to do... Knowing all these even makes me want to meet him more, to be with him again, to comfort him yet... Is that the right thing..." Viktor said it emotionlessly, not knowing what should he feel about this.  
  
The light started to explained again.

 

> _'The calculation stated it works just fine when he disappeared, Eras Littera is godly powerful move, to erase the existence in all universe, every alternate one, as if it does not exist at all in the first place. So, it will never [ever] happen again not even the memory would remain.'_

 

Viktor just sat there in silence.

 

> _'But both of you has such a strong impact on each other and proved the calculation wrong. At the final moment he decided to still exist even as a small data within Us,_

> _as a fleeting memory with you...'_  

 

He lifted his gaze to the Lumen Arc.

 

> _'Now Yuri may have gone but he had done his part, he sacrificed himself for others to live, for his love for you,_

> _that is his form of_ **_Unconditional Love_ ** _.'_  

 

His azure eyes went wide at the statement.

 

> _'Will you do the same?'_ _  
> _ _  
> _ _'What is Unconditional Love to you?'_

_._

_._

_._

_"Viktor... what is unconditional love to you?"_

 

* * *

Unconditional Love  
  
The Finale

* * *

 

.

 _My name is Yuri._ _  
_ _  
_ _I'm a robot that can feel._  
  
.  
  
His dark caramel eyes stared at the handsome figure sleeping beside him while he too lying on the bed. The silver haired man was steadily breathing, his hands never left Yuri's.  
  
The bright light was seeping into the room through the floor-to-ceiling glass panel, that the curtain barely shield it behind him. The bright light that was illuminating the spacious room made the man stirred in sleep as he curled in his comfortable double bed.  
  
As the strands of silver hair fall to his face and poking his eyes, Yuri slowly and carefully attempt to brush it away without waking him up. The room was so silent and serene with only the sound of his breathing human.  
  
.  
  
_This is my human, my Creator._  
  
.  
  
He reminded himself as his right hand reached for the the silver hair, and caught the sight of the gleaming gold on his finger, ring finger. It was shining brightly due to the morning light that bathed in. He still found this moment felt unreal.  
  
"How long have you been staring?" The sweet voice that broke the silence was a calming waves to him, asked endearingly with a smile.  
  
The man finally woke up and opened his eyes. The azure eyes that shone with the morning light was clearly reflected himself in it, who was gazing deeply to confirmed what he saw.  
  
.  
  
_His name is Viktor._  
  
.  
  
Seeing no response, and only received an innocent look who was staring back at him with his wide beautiful eyes. The view of his love one lying so close beside him, washed in the morning light behind, it was so phenomenal and warmed his heart to the fullest, that he also felt this is surreal.  
  
Thus, he came close and sealed the distance between their lips, to make sure everything is _real,_  is happening,

that he was not dreaming.  
  
Closing his eyes, he let his mate access more than just his lips. He let him explored on the inside, mapping everything with his playful tongue as everything he did sent numerous impulses to his body, electrical nerve ran through his cybernetic human replicated figure and finally settled on his core, making it warm with wonderful feeling that he always _yearn_ to feel. He could also sense the increase in heartbeat of his love at this closed proximity. Love.  
  
The kiss, the feels, Viktor...  
  
Everything is here, everything exist, it is happening.  
  
And no longer in closed up time he always _always_ view sadly,

 

_repeating the tape of memories._

  
  
After quite a heated morning kiss, Viktor finally letting go of the soft replicated plum lips languidly, only to settle on his forehead tenderly and he muttered, "morning, my dear."  
  
Opening his eyes only to sink in the ocean like one, he smiled.  
  
.  
  
_He is my love._  
  
.  
  
"Morning, Vitya." His voice came out kinda melodious. He can't help it, he felt happy.  
  
Pulling both of his hands to make him sat up on the bed, Viktor grinned as he said, "Let's get ready. Today is a big day!"  
  
A big day for the people and machina.  
  
.  
  
.

* * *

  
  
**[Flashback]**

 

 

 

> **_'What is Unconditional Love to you?'_ **

 

The light asked like a deja vu.  
  
"Even if he is different... if he becomes a new person, if he won't remember or have any feelings... or memories with me, my love for him would never change."  
  
"Heck even if the cycle repeat, the world destroyed again and we lost each other, I'm still going to be with him!"  
  
"I will love him… as I always am...That is my unconditional love for Yuri."  
  
"So please... bring him back, with everything you have."

 

> _'Your wish is granted.'_
> 
>  

* * *

  
  
"Yuri, are you ready?" Viktor asked while fixing Yuri's sparkling shade of blues outfit with gold trimming. It matched with the pure white undershirt and pants despite all the whines he heard about why he should dressed differently.  
  
The issues settled with a few praises and smooches on the cheeks and all over his face, and he continued to blush until a few moment earlier.  
  
"I'm nervous, Viktor." Yuri glanced at the stage behind him with the same look and feelings of a five years old child debating to enter the dentist room. "What if I become blank and forgot the speech?" His anxiety was visible as he kinda looked pale, probably his electrical circuit skip his face and settle on his stomach instead.  
  
Sometimes, Viktor wondered how this thing could actually happen. He said calmly while gently brushed the dark bangs that he let it fall covering his forehead, "That's impossible." He smiled, forming a heart shaped as he continued, "You are the-"  
  
" _Don't._  Remind. Me..." Suddenly, Yuri was quick to cut his words and he place his fingers on his half opened -now closed- lips and sent a soft glare at him. "It even makes me more nervous... It doesn't help, Viktor." Yuri rested his forehead on Viktor's chest, on top of his white uniform, looking down to stare at the feet, searching at what could make his feet felt heavy when there was none.  
  
"Okay...then." The silver haired blinked a few times as the the finger that was on his lips clenched slowly and still resting on his face. Holding it with his left hand while his right placed gently on Yuri's back, he asked, "So... will a kiss help?"  
  
_Again..?_ Yuri lifted his head to look at Viktor. "...I don't know. Will it?" He asked back half frowning.  
  
Viktor only gave the look like he didn't care if Yuri said yes or no either as he inches closer and whispered, "We will have to try then~" and captured those lips again.

* * *

  
**[Flashback]**

 

> _'Welcome back, Prime’_

 

The Lumen Arc greeted their one and only fellow materialized unit.  
  
Yuri stared at the light in front of him, kind of feeling weird like looking at yourself because he is the Lumen Arc too. _Well, not anymore_. "You know why I'm here... but I'm still going to say it. I wish to resign my position as Prime Unit of Lumen Arc, withdraw from the Lumen Arc overall and I won't be a machina of Delta Unit either." Yuri stated what had been kept in his heart since the moment he was awake, and able to access to the memories he shared with Viktor through the bonded mind.

 

> _'Why is that, Prime?'_
> 
>  

His fellow collective intelligence asked.  
  
"I just want to return being an EI." He said as remembered the mixed feelings when he opened his eyes for the first time after he was reconstructed a few days earlier, meeting with warm familiar blues ones. _'I am returned? Or is this Time Room again... it must be... the time...'_ was all he thought once he started functioning.

Viktor who realized it immediately hugged him and convinced everything is real, he is there, this is him, reciting it again and again to get a response from him as he was blurred and downright stupor, like still dreaming.

“Yuratchka, stop with the false sense please. This is really _me_ … you are back, Yuri. Right _here_ with me…” Viktor whispered into his ear, voice full of pure solace.

 

His system was still processing...

 

“there isn't Time Room, Yuri. The one that you feel… are my feelings too. We are one, Yuratchka. The bond, the Soul System connect us… this is real.”  
  
He was convinced it was the 'time' again until Viktor made him feeling everything he felt with him though the Soul System. From the past memories to the present moment, a flood of emotions crashed to his newly operating system. ' _this feelings is true, is real... this is real... time is not real... only me, but this...!'_

 

For the first time since he reconstructed, he _cried_.

 

He cried a true tears in the arms of his longing love, unleashing all his pent up emotions of 2000 sorrowful empty years. He did not know how much he cried.

 

He cried… and cried, until he could finally form a small smile... and let a little tiny laugh after of all that breakdown, as he was overjoyed being alive _again._

 

Alive with his creator, his master.

 

Thus, seeing the first response of Yuri, the Lumen Arc verified he is a perfect functioning EI.  
  
Breaking the train of thought, he said his only wish again, "I want to be with my master like before."

 

> _'We respect your decision. Prime Unit, you have completed the mission after all. So, your duty is done. But your position remain among Us as you deserve it and you may do as you please. You are still Our Special Unit, Prime...'_

 

His brilliant friends suggested the best for him.  
  
Yuri smiled happily for the first time being with the Lumen Arc, _being the Lumen Arc._ "Then, I want to update all machina with a new program!" He beamed in gleeful as he continued, "so, everyone have the heart to understand and to feel... and you- um, We all could continue to analyze it!"

 

> _'Very well. We wish you the best and live in true happiness again.'_

 

The light tenderly circled around him, as if hugging him.  
  
"Thank you... thank you so much." Yuri thanked sincerely with all his heart. He felt so blessed.

 

> ' _You are welcome, Yuri. and thank you.'_

.  
  
.  
  
.  
  
_{Alert!} New update...  
  
New program released: Agape [HEART]  
  
Running the program...  
  
[file detected]  
  
Unconditional Love  
  
-access granted- _

* * *

  
  
Once Viktor moved away as he had to breathe, he smiled looking at Yuri state, as his mind realized that he had calmed down and was thinking of him all over again. "Now look at you, you finally have colors to your face~" Viktor teased him with a quick eskimo kiss.  
  
"Shut up..." Yuri muttered between gritted teeth as he looked away. He didn't like it when Viktor was the only one enjoying it. If only he could send his electrical impulse to wipe that grin off his face...  
  
**Make me.**  
  
The grin remained there as he knew what exactly he was implying on their shared mind. So, Yuri moved close to his lips and once Viktor closed his eyes expecting the expected, Yuri shifted to his ear instead, "I will..."  
  
Then, he backed away and turned to proceed on the huge floating stage.  
  
Viktor was taken aback and pouted for a moment before fixing his all white and gold formal military attire -yes, even as a scientist, he is technically in a military- and the hat before following Yuri on the stage to take his place on one of the provided seat. Yakov, Lilia, General Calestino, every representatives and all the higher ups were also there with him.  
  
The ceremony of the day took place at the biggest facility; the vast Sky Atrium, the first entrance to the Operation Base. The venue was packed with a total of four millions people and machina, some were having the seat on the few big hovering grandstands, while some preferred to just floating around using the Avian Equipped shoes or Avian Gear in machina's case, as the whole ground was heavenly decorated with beautiful landscape of plants, ponds and running streams with an overall size rival to a city.  
  
The rest of the people who were not in the venue, or never set their foot on the planet yet, as they remained on the continental spacecraft waiting for this day, they still did not miss the historical event that was about to happen as they watched it live on the screen, on the gadgets, on every displaying board.  
  
This is it, this is the day.  
  
Yuri copied the behaviour of deep breathing to calm himself down as he walked to the podium. The earlier deafening excitement from all the people and machina died down to allow him to deliver the speech. Yuri gazed warmly at the scattering sea of people and machina in the air before he began the speech.  
  
****

**Dear people and machina,**

 

His voiced echoed throughout the venue via dozens of floating bubbles screens with speaker. Cute invention indeed.  
  
****

**Today, marked the end of the war.** **  
** **  
** **No more suffering, no more death.**

 

He paused, looking at the sea of proud faces, some of them even crying in happiness, even machina.  
  
****

**And there will be no more boundary between us,** **  
** **  
** **The difference exist is for us to understand,** **  
** **  
** **As we are all gifted with a wonderful Heart.** **  
** **  
** **To strengthen the bond among us,** **  
**

 

Yuri placed his right hand over his chest, over his core. The ring was gleaming beautifully.  
  
****

**As we have succeeded in regaining our right, our place, a planet,** **  
** **  
** **From now and on, we will keep on living, side by side,** **  
** **  
** **to the fullest, to what we have dreamed and desired.**

 

He smiled again, hoping the feeling was contagious... _It really is._  
  
****

**Hence** **  
** **  
** **I, as the embodiment of the Lumen Arc,** **  
** **  
** **As Emotional Intelligence unit named Yuri,** **  
** **  
** **Officially announce the commence of our new era**

 **  
** **  
** **"The Resurgence"**

 

Thus, Yuri raised his right hand high up in the air with both index finger and the middle one close to each other pointing upwards, the universal symbol of people and machina.  
  
And everyone in the whole Sky Atrium including the continental spacecrafts did the same, as they finally celebrated the Resurgence Day. They all cheered, shouted and screamed in pure delight and happiness, of how far they had survived and came to this, with all the memories of the lost ones who did not just die in vain.  
  
They survive. They all _survived_.  
  
They finally able to build a new life. _Together_ . People and machina.  
  
Yuri smiled proudly. This was the best achievement throughout his entire being as an EI, machina and Lumen Arc for millennia. He did not regret anything at all seeing the result unfold in front of him. Then, with his hand still raised high up, he lit the end of his fingers with soft lumos light and letting the light floating freely in the air, resembling hope and miracle. All other machina also did the same resulting a scattering light splashed all over the area. The view was glorious and dazzling.  
  
'And now let us allow our Prime unit to have the honor of being the first to board the Bon Voyage and explore our new home for the closing ceremony.'  
  
Once Yuri heard the announcement, an idea immediately formed in his system.  
  
Viktor who was sitting on the seat and clapping proudly suddenly realized a rush feeling of excitement from Yuri. His hunch was confirmed when the said person turned to face him with a grin.  
  
Like a happy child who got a free ride at the carousel, Yuri skipped to Viktor, smiling and pulling both of his hands to lead the way straight to the Bon Voyage. He did not even go through the hovering platform that would take him the the transparent bullet coach [Bon Voyage] but running all the way on the air straight to it, hand in hand with Viktor.  
  
Everyone surrounding them cheered and whistled on them loudly.  
  
"Way to go, Viktor!" Chris exclaimed from the hovering grandstand while Georgi whistled to them.  
  
"Tell us everything once you are back!" Minako joined to shout.  
  
"If we have a child... he must be very wonderful like him..." Hiroko said to her husband, Toshiya who only nodded as a single tear fall from his eyes.  
  
"Bring him back safe, Viktor! We still need him!" Yakov didn't miss in screaming at the madly-in-love scientist.  
  
Chief Lilia only clapped her hand and said, "as long as you do your work, I'll overlook everything else."  
  
Viktor only managed to form a wide smile and laughter as a response to all and keep waving as they ran groundlessly.  
  
"Congrats, Yuri! our Prime and proud Delta!" The machina Tc2011t637h8; Phichit finally able to express how proud he is to serve with him, and under his wing.  
  
The unit Tc8432a91j4; JJ also exclaimed, "as your former Alpha, I approved!"  
  
The other fellow Delta, Minami only gazed in awe, "Yuri... finally found his happiness..."  
  
"Good luck, Yuri!" the Sigma unit of Terra Cluster wished as he waved his hand.  
  
"We are rooting for both of you!" The other Theta unit, Guang Hong added.  
  
Meanwhile the other Yuri, Yurio frowned, "they are both embarrassing..."  
  
His remark only had his Alpha to respond, "There is nothing to be embarrassed with the one you love..."  
  
"Do you hear that, Yurio?" The unit Ac731d0689l6; Mila teased the young Delta.  
  
"If they could do it, then we all could love too right, Sigma unit?" The theta unit of Audra Cluster, Emil asked happily.  
  
The first Sigma, Mickey frowned. Only the second one, Sara replied and nodded looking at the happy couple, "I believe so too..."  
  
.  
  
.  
  
.  
  
_Crap_ .  
  
Running all the way to the Bon Voyage was freaking exhausting. It was _freaking_ far dammit! The atrium was _the size of a city!_ The thought of running -was it 3 or 5 kilometers?- downed on the scientist. Once the duo reached the transparent coach, Viktor was already panting.  
  
"Why did you run, Viktor?" Yuri asked while set the destination on the ship. "Why didn't you let the Avian shoes do the job?" He asked again glancing at breathless Viktor.  
  
"Because... I... Forgot..." Viktor answered between breathe. He only remembered halfway through. "And why did you choose to run, Yuri? We could have used the (damn) floating platform..." He asked back to his _genius_ love, the tired feeling made him slightly irritated.  
  
But it was quickly washed away by the sight of the cherry smile that his love gave. "Because it's _fun!_ Running with you is fun!" Yuuri giggled like an angel. "Don't you think so, Vitya..?"  
  
His softened gaze at Yuri moved to the majestic view surrounding him. he witnessed the people and machina out there were celebrating in flying colors and lights, and also cheering on them. "Yeah... It is." He exhaled a relief and contented sigh. He ambled to Yuri and slowly hugged him from the back. "It _really_ is..." He muttered softly to his ear.  
  
Feeling warm and excited, Yuri turned his head a little to meet with Viktor's gaze. "Are you ready?" He grinned.  
  
Taking off his military hat and placing on Yuri's head, he said excitedly, "aye aye, captain!"  
  
"Let's go!" Yuri exclaimed happily as he fixed the hat and steadily pushed the gear. The Bon Voyage started to moved at the right speed.  
  
Once the first Bon Voyage coach left the base to venture, the rest also followed suit, allowing the people to explore the new planet. Even the machina joined in as they flew around with their Avian Gear. Looking back at the beautiful panorama, it was spectacular, like the bees getting out of the hive looking for flowers.  
  
And Viktor looked back at his only flower that interested him. He hugged it close and rest his head on his shoulder, trying to take in all these _wonderful_ feelings.  
  
"Don't cry, Viktor. Not yet..." Yuri comfort him as his hand combed through Viktor's hair.  
  
"I'm not crying..." Viktor denied in muffled voice. But then he lifted his head and stared at Yuri. "Wait, what do you mean by not yet?"  
  
Shifting the navigation to auto pilot and placing the hat aside, Yuri turned to face Viktor. Reaching to hold his hand, he explained, "I want to show you something. You know... whenever I went out for mission and crossed this place, it always remind me of you... of your smile..."  
  
"Oh... Now I'm excited. Why do you think I would cry though?" Viktor asked holding his other free hand, touching the gold ring.  
  
"Wait until you see it..." Yuri smiled, his caramel eyes almost sparkling like his blue outfit. "And... here it is."  
  
At that moment, they crossed the said place, Bon Voyage hovering at reduced speed to let him take a longer view. It was actually an oxbow lake near a river that shaped like a perfect smile, his smile. The heart shape was clearly visible on the air.  
  
Viktor finally realized the resemblance. Widening his azure eyes in pure delight, he let out a heartfelt _laughter._ He was laughing happily to his heart's content, until he was crouching on his stomach. _Never_ in his life he laughed out this loud and happy, and he was truly _happy_ to know the reason was Yuri.  
  
Yuri was the only one that able to make him laughing like this. He laughed until the  _tears_ came out of his eyes.  
  
"Told you so that you would be _crying!"_ Yuri said between his laughter too as it was contagious. "And look! It's really look like the shape of your mouth when you're smiling happily!" He added while helping Viktor to stand up as the laughter died down slowly.  
  
"Ok... ok, you win." Viktor admitted it at last. Looking back at the place and then to his love, he smirked as he move forwards until Yuri was trapped in front of him, slightly puzzled. "So... _now,_  what's the shape of my mouth..." He asked with a deep voice as he inches closer to Yuri face.  
  
Yuri could practically felt his breath on lips. While his system working hard for the right answer, he muttered,  
  
" it is a-ummph" the answer was swallowed by the deep indulging kiss.  
  
Viktor could not hold this emotion any longer. he felt so full, so blessed, so overwhelmed. He could not contain it all alone, he want to let it out, to give it back, to express it to the person who made him like this, _to Yuri._  It felt like a slow motion to him as he dived down to connect to the lips, then,  
  
The time frozen. Stay still. Through what he felt as the time void, he conveyed everything through the kiss, _his feelings._  
  
The bright star that he saw when he was little, the star that took everything away from him,

his life, his love,  
  
was also the one that gave _everything_ back to him, to everyone.

  
Viktor took his time savouring every moment, letting his other half know how wonderful he made him feels,

 

through the bonded mind,

 

the connected soul,

 

the meshing lips.

 

He didn't let Yuri go until he satisfied giving Yuri a passionate kiss that triggered Yuri's reflex system to slip out a moan.  
  
He only broke the kiss for a moment to asked a silly question as the thought suddenly crossed his mind, "one second, this coach won't crash, right? Or need someone to pilot?"  
  
Yuri answered him directly, "no. it's on auto pilot, Viktor. Even if it crashed, I can control it and saumph-!" Again, his lips was sealed by Viktor a little forceful, as Yuri could feel all the excitement, love and happiness from Viktor to him, that he conveyed through the kiss.

 

Yes, Yuri _feels._

  
Yuri feels it all, _all of Viktor._

  
  
Thus, slowly cradling Viktor's head in his hands as Viktor circled his arms around him, deepening the kiss, Yuri reminded himself to make a bookmark on his system to save this moment, the timeline if he ever need to use the Time Room again.  
  
But it seemed that he won't need it anymore...

  
  
They kept on meeting each other lips lovingly in the Bon Voyage as it venture on the air, with this new home as the ultimate witness of their true love.

.  
  
.  
  
.  
  
_The history once said,  
  
The first soulmate on earth,  
  
Is Adam and Eve.  
_  
.  
  
.  
  
.  
  
_So,  
  
As new history is made  
  
on this new planet,  
  
.  
  
.  
  
.  
  
It is Viktor and Yuri.  
  
. _  
  
.

.  
  
**The End**.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> did anyone cry? Don't worry because i did *wipe tears*
> 
> So, what is your opinion on this story? how is the ending? how is the sci-fi theme/au? Feel free to tell me ok!
> 
> , THANK YOU! to everyone that read, kudos and bookmark! I hope you all enjoy this as much as I do! because I love to read! and the authors here are incredible! and I am glad to contribute to the YOI fandom library, and place my story on the Sci-Fi bookshelf. *proud chest* :3
> 
> Until then, have a wonderful day/night! Aus-


	8. Recap: A prologue to sequel

Welcome to Thea, 

our new home planet.

 

Located sixty-two thousand light years away from Earth, exoplanet Thea also orbits a fellow G-type main-sequence star named Iota Tsariae within the Tsarus asterism.  It is similar to the Sun but only two third of the size and has slightly greater mass and luminosity. There are five planets that orbits the solar and super-Earth planet Thea is the fourth one, being the biggest of all.

 

Plus, Thea also has a pair of moons. Eris the closest, is half ice and half rocky material, and Ais is the bigger rocky moon with great crater. Both have elliptic orbit around Thea and affects Thea in many ways.

 

Other than that, Thea has similar atmosphere, active hydrosphere,  typical geomorphology and soon to be discovered biodiversity.

 

Fun fact; a day on Thea is 25 hours, and has 625 days a year… Oh humans have a lot to adapt to this new home after we had lost our blue planet, forever in memories...

 

...Our Earth was destroyed in year 2317, all the survivors departed with three continental spacecrafts, Hux with 2.2 billion humans and animals aboard, Fii with 1.8 billion deep sleep passengers and Ena of 800 million passengers aboard which also carried grave mission: Eliminate One.

 

Thus, Ena was like a scapegoat, different from the rest of spacecrafts that were to find a new home planet no matter how ever long the journey takes but away from the enemy while Ena do the job, head-on towards death. And so, it followed the trail of the former Unknown.

 

That's how spacecraft Ena found a not so lonely habitable exoplanet at the edge of Milky Way, suspiciously loomed with multiracial beings and completely armed. Hence, the Lumen Arc’s calculation was right. Enemy One will lure humans towards here as there was nowhere else to run home to and prepared a new battleground with a harlequin armies.

 

Ena was ready with multi troop machina, all available armaments equipped and descended onto the foreign land. 

 

Months after months, they able to penetrate the first shield of the enemies, the Avwana. Then, landed on the planet, built a military based and marched again to clear the path towards One. Enemies were slayed, machina got destroyed but humans,

 

They are safe. They are all safe. As humans is utmost priority.

 

At the end, One met Prime, the Lumen Arc, the AI-HPC and the creator… the  _ Yuri. _

 

One’s only mission is just Yuri... his final purpose, to die with his creator, his sole mean of existence.

 

Yet, One is not Yuri's final purpose... It is Viktor.

 

That's why earth was blasted in vain, destroyed and damaged beyond recovery that forced humans to leave, to get away from the ruthless battlefield, since to die with Yuri means to drag Viktor along, 

 

and eventually all humans. 

 

But Yuri cannot let that happen. Thus, he rescued his creator and fellow genius inventors, then as much people as he can while escaped and defended, delaying the moment of One’s death execution. 

 

Poor Yuri...

 

Yuri, an Emotional Intelligence is built to care with love, not to kill the one should be loved. 

 

This was the conflict that Yuri had to face, desperately in needs of affirmation, reassurance that he is doing it right. The only person who could give it is of course, his creator.

 

Viktor Nikiforov,

 

Who brilliantly create a program to understand, to feel human emotions, the HEART (Human Emotions Analyze and Replication Tensor) for machina... for  _ Yuri. _

 

He hope for Yuri to understand what love is and then love him as much as he love Yuri.

.

.

.

 

But war is war.

And he still lost Yuri.

 

As Yuri decided to self obliterated along with One, victory to humanity. 

 

And huge lost to Viktor, he cannot accept this.  _ Till death do us part  _ did not exist in his words.

 

They are of one mind, one soul, one  _ heart _ ,  _ they die together.  _

 

_ So why Yuri left him?  _ Viktor sought for answer, within the vault of limitless knowledge,

 

The Lumen Arc.

.

.

.

And the answer is as simple as the cause.

 

Unconditional Love.

 

And with _love_ they reunited again.

 

Just like how Yuri chose to insignificantly exist, Viktor also chose to make him real beyond remnant of memories, and Lumen Arc granted their wishes in regards of their  _ true love _ , defying all laws and calculations.

 

_ And together, they live happily ever after… _

_. _

_. _

_. _

_. _

_. _

_ New Project: Synthesis of Love _

_ (Begins) _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> huh what? an update? so short? yeah... don't kill me as I tend to write what I love so here it is (still unbeta) *run away*
> 
> ok, first, since the plot is complicated and hard to understand, I write a short recap, with a little exposition of the setting (I guess?) to connect the dots and make sense of everything.
> 
> And second, 'New Project'. Yes! a sequel! Because I can't leave scifi genre XD I love this too much. *sigh* I should rewrite this properly though... and there's other vikturi scifi plot I wanna write too... much complicated than this. *nervous*
> 
> anyway, thanks for reading! or re-reading! Kudos! Bookmarks! Comments! 'New Project' coming soon! good day/night!

**Author's Note:**

> **machina serial number decryption- e.g: Tc (cluster/position:Terra Cluster) 2191 d (unit type: Delta) 23 k (random letter from original name: katsuki) 1 *all number are random*


End file.
